F e b rua ry 1 national secur it y

Live Our Values 
Our values are a source of strength and security, and our ability to promote our values abroad is directly 
tied to our willingness to abide by them at home. In recent years, questions about America’s post-9/11 
security policies have often been exploited by our adversaries, while testing our commitment to civil 
liberties and the rule of law at home. For the sake of our security and our leadership in the world, it is 
essential we hold ourselves to the highest possible standard, even as we do what is necessary to secure 
our people. 
To that end, we strengthened our commitment against torture and have prohibited so-called enhanced 
interrogation techniques that were contrary to American values, while implementing stronger safe-
guards for the humane treatment of detainees. We have transferred many detainees from Guantanamo 
Bay, and we are working with the Congress to remove the remaining restrictions on detainee transfers 

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NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
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so that we can finally close it. Where prosecution is an option, we will bring terrorists to justice through 
both civilian and, when appropriate, reformed military commission proceedings that incorporate fun-
damental due process and other protections essential to the effective administration of justice.
Our vital intelligence activities are also being reformed to preserve the capabilities needed to secure 
our interests while continuing to respect privacy and curb the potential for abuse. We are increasing 
transparency so the public can be confident our surveillance activities are consistent with the rule of law 
and governed by effective oversight. We have not and will not collect signals intelligence to suppress 
criticism or dissent or to afford a competitive advantage to U.S. companies. Safeguards currently in place 
governing how we retain and share intelligence are being extended to protect personal information 
regardless of nationality.