Ashcroft defends waterboarding before House panel (doesn't constitute torture)

[sabra]

Source: CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The controversial interrogation technique of waterboarding has served a "valuable" purpose and does not constitute torture, former Attorney General John Ashcroft told a House committee Thursday.

Testifying on the Bush administration's interrogation rules before the House Judiciary Committee, Ashcroft defended the technique while answering a question from Rep. Howard Coble, R-North Carolina.

"Waterboarding, as we all know, is a controversial issue. Do you think it served a beneficial purpose?" the congressman asked.

"The reports that I have heard, and I have no reason to disbelieve them, indicate that they were very valuable," Ashcroft said, adding that CIA Director George Tenet indicated the "value of the information received from the use of enhanced interrogation techniques -- I don't know whether he was saying waterboarding or not, but assume that he was for a moment -- the value of that information exceeded the value of information that was received from all other sources."

...

Ashcroft, who stated his opposition to torture, said the Justice Department has determined that waterboarding -- as defined and described by the CIA -- doesn't constitute torture.

"I believe a report of waterboarding would be serious, but I do not believe it would define torture," Ashcroft said, responding to questions from Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California.



Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/17/ashcroft.waterboarding/?iref=hpmostpop

[hobbit709]

1. Anyone that defends waterboarding

should have it publicly done to them to prove that it isn't torture.

[sakabatou]

2. Well, should we waterboard Ashcroft?

[Crowman1979]

7. Hell yeah!

And play that "Let the Eagle Soar" song over a hundred times until he goes insane.

[jimshoes]

3. Hoo boy,

I wonder if he'd feel the same if he was getting rather than giving?

[Judi Lynn]

4. Be sure to vote on waterboarding, lower right side:

Do you think interrogation by waterboarding can ever be justified?
Yes, to save lives _____ 37% _____ 324
No, it's torture _______ 63% _____ 542
Total Votes: _____ 866

[mikelgb]

5. Sad that the same impulse these pigs get to do this to prisoners

is repeated in every response to this thread

no, nobody should be waterboarded (against their will)

[hendo]

6. Would he think it was torture

if we did it to him?

[defendandprotect]

8. Reminds me of Lincoln's comments that he wished that all who

support slavery would be able to experience it ---

I saw that someone brought to our attention that he used the Addington line . . .
in response to a querying him on his legal thoughts . . .
something like --
"if you want legal advice, I'm sure you
have lots of it available here." Something like that.

Ashcroft "rose" to his position because of Mel Carnahan's questionable plane accident --

Ashcroft knew who he was dealing with in Cheney/Bush ---

I think finally a bit of it frightened him --- it sure frightens me!

[Dogmudgeon]

9. "Let the Eagle pour ... like she's never poured before ..."

These people are insane.

I have a friend who clerked for Ashcroft some years ago. Said he was a nice guy, an excellent legal thinker, and she loved him. But that he was still a lunatic.

On the other hand, most conservatives have deservedly lousy reputations. She could never figure out people like Ashcroft. (Hatch, Lott, and Gingrich are said to be much the same way.) She described it as a form of political schizophrenia.

--p!

[Judi Lynn]

10. Ashcroft defends waterboarding before House panel

Source: CNN

updated 2 hours, 12 minutes ago
Ashcroft defends waterboarding before House panel

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The controversial interrogation technique of waterboarding has served a "valuable" purpose and does not constitute torture, former Attorney General John Ashcroft told a House committee Thursday.

Testifying on the Bush administration's interrogation rules before the House Judiciary Committee, Ashcroft defended the technique while answering a question from Rep. Howard Coble, R-North Carolina.

"Waterboarding, as we all know, is a controversial issue. Do you think it served a beneficial purpose?" the congressman asked.

"The reports that I have heard, and I have no reason to disbelieve them, indicate that they were very valuable," Ashcroft said, adding that CIA Director George Tenet indicated the "value of the information received from the use of enhanced interrogation techniques -- I don't know whether he was saying waterboarding or not, but assume that he was for a moment -- the value of that information exceeded the value of information that was received from all other sources."

~snip~
"I believe a report of waterboarding would be serious, but I do not believe it would define torture," Ashcroft said, responding to questions from Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California.



Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/17/ashcroft.waterboarding/?iref=hpmostpop

[niyad]

11. so why don't you volunteer to have it done to you, asscrap?

[Sequoia]

12. Oh really Asscroft; why don't we waterboard you then?

Then you can tell us if it's torture or not.

[damntexdem]

13. But does he really mean it?

Better waterboard him to make sure!

;-)

[Q3JR4]

14. I think,

as some of you have already pointed out, whichever senator is questioning ashcroft should ask him right out, "If water boarding does not constitute torture, will you volunteer for the procedure?"

See what the blow hard says then.

Q3JR4.

[Jefferson23]

15. Ashcroft, he had a chance to come clean but chose wrong again.

[Canuckistanian]

16. So it's now fair game to waterboard US soldiers?

I'm sure the Pentagon will be glad to hear that.

[sofa king]

17. Assholes.

[Dogmudgeon]

18. Best. Rockwell. Parody. EVER.

And I think he'd laugh over it until he collapsed.

You should also track down "Southern Justice".

If you think of Rockwell as the incarnation of all that is suburban-squaresville, it will blow your mind. Then it will stick to your brain. Then it will make you weep.

--p!

[formercia]

19. This one?

[sofa king]

24. Thanks for the reply!

I did that a long time ago and it scares me how much more accurate it becomes with each passing day.

(Edit: did you notice that I accidentally left Albrecht Durer in some very bad company?)

[Vinca]

20. Apparently the fact it was torture during WWII means nothing. nt

[eShirl]

21. sure, if by value he means political value. n/t

[Solly Mack]

22. In the end, as long as they get away with it, they can say any outrageous thing they want

and it won't change anything

What? America going to make torture illegal? Again? For the how many times is it now?
America needs to explain that water-boarding is torture? Why? Did America forget that water-boarding is torture?
And is that really an excuse for not holding the war criminals accountable?

America forgot? It wasn't clearly spelled out so that after years of being illegal the legality of water-boarding is now questionable?

My lawyer said it wasn't illegal so it must not be illegal? Because my lawyer couldn't possibly be corrupt? a liar? My lawyer couldn't possibly be participating in the crime? Just as complicit?

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. The man is offended by statue boobs and calico cats, but he

thinks that waterboarding isn't torture?

Crazy world. CRaaaaazy world.