Two US senators have reacted with bewilderment to a log of the interrogation of a detainee at the Guantanamo Bay, with a Republican openly suggesting "a vacuum of leadership" at the Pentagon.
The US military has offered no excuses for interrogation techniques used on a Saudi terror suspect, saying his questioning followed a "detailed plan" and that prevention of new attacks justified the means.
The retort followed publication of a secret document detailing the military's handling of Mohammed al-Kahtani, suspected of being the 20th September 11 hijacker.
The explanation did not sit well with at least two US senators, who openly expressed their objections after reading the log.
"If, in fact, we are treating prisoners this way, it's not only wrong, but dangerous, and very dumb, and very short-sighted," said Republican Senator Chuck Hagel on CNN's Late Edition.
"I just think it's a terrible mistake," echoed Democrat Dianne Feinstein.
Senator Hagel, a veteran of the Vietnam war, warned a leadership vacuum at the top of the military hierarchy can end "in disaster for us and humility for this country".
"If there's a vacuum, something will fill that vacuum," he said.
The interrogation log obtained by Time magazine also indicated Kahtani had his head and beard shaved, was stripped naked, ordered to bark like a dog, prevented from sleeping by loud music, had pictures of scantily clad women hung around his neck and was straddled by a female interrogator, a contact particularly offensive to a Muslim.
The Pentagon insisted the Saudi, who was captured on Afghan-Pakistani border in December 2001, had told US authorities about his terrorist training at two Al Qaeda camps as well as his meetings with Osama bin Laden and other senior Al Qaeda leaders.
"More importantly, he provided valuable intelligence information helping the US to understand the recruitment of terrorist operatives, logistics and other planning aspects of the 9/11 terrorist attack," the Defence Department said.
Australian David Hicks has been held at Guantanamo for more than three years and has been listed to stand trial in the US.
