On September 11, 2001, the United States of America was subjected to barbaric terrorist attacks by terrorists affiliated with Al-Qaeda. Nine teenagers hijacked four US airlines and deliberately flew them to World Trade Center 1, World Trade Center 2 and the US Pentagon. The fourth plane was taken over by a valiant group of passengers but ultimately crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, killing everyone on board. (Fast Facts on the 9/11 Hijackers, par. 2) This event shook the nation, as many viewed the attack not only as a threat to national security, but also as an attack on identity American national. Nearly three thousand people were killed and, as a result, these attacks facilitated major US counterterrorism initiatives. The forty-third President of the United States, George W. Bush, took action and sought to ease the minds and hearts of Americans with the words "calm and resolute, even in the face of persistent threat." (QUOTED) The president then pledged that the United States would defeat terrorism, saying, "stop it, eliminate it, destroy it where it thrives." (History.com staff par.5). After such a catastrophic event, national leaders began to think about the following question: How can we prevent something like this from happening again? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In an effort to quell domestic terrorist attacks, the George W. Bush presidential administration implemented a series of government programs directly targeting suspected terrorists. In fact, these initiatives would become a defining feature of George W. Bush's presidency. The program known as the Detention and Interrogation Program was intended to strengthen and ensure national security. He was instrumental in developing a protocol on how to deal with suspected terrorists and detainees. However, the program itself was quite controversial. The program specifically authorized the use of torture methods more formally known as "enhanced interrogation techniques." These interrogation methods were instituted with the aim of obtaining information about any future terrorist activity. So-called “EITs,” or enhanced interrogation methods, authorized by the program included, but were not limited to: simulated drowning, sleep deprivation, stressful positions, nudity, and food manipulation. The program operated out of the public eye for many years. A comprehensive study by the Senate Intelligence Committee, the institution officially charged with providing information and analysis to federal government leaders, has released a 6,000-page report on the Central Intelligence detention and interrogation program Agency. The report released on December 9, 2014 revealed quite alarming results; it details how the CIA ineffectively tortured prisoners, provided false or misleading information to the media and public, obstructed government oversight, and simply mismanaged the program. (“Senate Intelligence Committee Study of the CIA Detention and Interrogation Program, para. 5) The study also concluded that more forms of torture were used than previously revealed. The report alluded to the fact that the program could have "damaged the international reputation of the United States" (CITE). This raises the following important question:..