This could backfire at Republicans if all or most of these stories seem to concern over-the-top treatment of detainees.
Doubtful. Most voters understand it is Government OF BY and FOR the people. Most voters actually think about the trade offs needed in fighting a war rather then adopt the over the top one size fits all "make no changes to anything ever" paranoia of the "Civil Libertines". Most voters are more intrested in what the Goverment is doing to protect them from groups of thugs trying to kill them rathern then being feverishaly paranoid about what the Govement they elected is doing.
Most Americans really don't care how the detainees are handled. Only AlQaida sympathizers and agents in the MSM care, and that's only for propaganda purposes.