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Human Rights First
Director of National Security Advocacy at Human Rights First, an organization which advocates for American leadership on human rights
PROFILE
Raha Wala
Guest
FROM Raha Wala
To the Point
Victims Sue Architects of the CIA's Torture Program Two years ago, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence exposed the depths of rendition and torture conducted by private contractors on behalf of the CIA. Two days later, James, Mitchell, one of two psychologists who designed the program, told Fox News, "I was told by the highest law enforcement agency in the land that we were going to walk right up to the edge of the law and that all the things that we had included in that list were legal. Mitchel, and his partner, Bruce Jessen, have been sued by their victims and last week, a judge ruled that the matter can go forward. That surprised human rights activists and others because previous such actions have been prevented on the grounds of exposing "state secrets." Raha Wala, Director of National Security Advocacy at Human Rights First , explains what made this case different. Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
To the Point
Black Sites and Dark Days for the CIA In the first years after 911, the CIA allowed the torture of detainees and lied to the Bush Administration and Congress about the intelligence it produced. That's according to a massive 6,000-page report of the CIA's so-called “enhanced interrogation program” released today by the Senate Intelligence Committee, chaired by California Democrat, Dianne Feinstein. Congress is divided over the content and the impact of today's release. While some Republicans claim torture of prisoners “saved American lives,” others warn today's report will produce a backlash overseas.
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To the Point
Trump's 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?
To the Point
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.