Part 5/9:

Key to the implementation of this program was the legal justification crafted by government lawyers, who labeled captured Al-Qaeda operatives as "unlawful enemy combatants." This categorization allowed the CIA to claim that traditional laws regarding torture and detention did not apply. Despite this, both international and domestic laws clearly prohibited such practices.

The Reality of Torture and Its Efficacy

Despite public claims from officials, including President Bush, asserting that the United States does not condone torture, the reality was starkly different. Victims of this program were subjected to extreme forms of brutality, with many suffering lasting psychological and physical damage.