Rep. Davis: CIA torture report ‘makes you cringe’

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis said he hopes the release of the Senate Intelligence Committee's torture report won't hurt U.S. efforts to fight terrorism. (WJBC file photo)

By Eric Stock

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis said there's no justification for some of the harsh tactics uses by CIA interrogators which are detailed in a new Senate Intelligence report.

"It just makes you cringe," Davis said. "It makes you a little sick that those techniques were used."

Davis (R-Taylorville) told WJBC's Scott Laughlin, Congress should have been kept in the loop about these interrogation tactics.

PODCAST: Listen to political expert Bob Bradley's reaction on WJBC.

"It wouldn't have been such an eye-opener if Congress had been briefed during interrogations," Davis said.

The report lists tactics used – such as waterboarding and other torture. Davis said the hopes the public release of the report won't put Americans at greater risk.

"(Terrorists) are still going to make an excuse why they need to behead innocent Americans," Davis said. "It's just an excuse, another opportunity to wage a propaganda war."

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is calling the torture report troubling. He says it's "equally disturbing" that U.S. intelligence agencies "refused to disclose the truth even to the highest levels of government."

The head of the CIA during President George W. Bush's second term says he didn't lie to Congress about harsh interrogations of terrorism suspects.  

PODCAST: Listen to Scott Laughlin's interview with Davis on WJBC.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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