U.S. used waterboarding but no more: ex-spy chief (Negroponte)

[cal04]

Source: Reuters

The United States used waterboarding in terrorism interrogations but no longer does, a former U.S. spy chief said in the Bush administration's most explicit confirmation of the technique's use.

U.S. officials have been reluctant to acknowledge the CIA's use of the simulated drowning technique, which human rights groups call an illegal form of torture.

The remarks by former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte in an interview with National Journal magazine come as senators are expected on Wednesday to grill Attorney General Michael Mukasey on a promised review of the legality of interrogation methods.

Asked by the magazine if debate over U.S. counterterrorism techniques was hampering its effort in a "war of ideas," Negroponte said, "We've taken steps to address the issue of interrogations, for instance, and waterboarding has not been used in years."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080128/ts_nm/security_usa_waterboarding_dc

[End Of The Road]

1. Negroponte is a proven liar --

he lied about massive human rights abuses when he was in Honduras, and he's lying now.

[The Traveler]

2. Oh, yeah ... he's someone we can trust

to be as vile and as vicious as any of us can possibly conceive.

[stillcool]

4. Really. Is there a worse...

source they could have used for this kind of 'torture information', than "The Salvador Option" himself. These people aren't even trying anymore.

[tabasco]

7. I'd sooner believe Pinocchio than murderer Negroponte.

His appearance in the Bush administration shows just how corrupt the Bush cabal really is.

[DCKit]

3. Waterboarding is illegal and was illegal while they were doing it.

Assuming we are to take his word they have stopped, does it really change anything? Should there EVER be an expectation that we have to catch our government committing illegal acts before they stop committing illegal acts?

There is no statute of limitations on crimes of torture and those who demanded it's implementation are as guilty as those who committed, and continue to commit, acts of torture. The Hague awaits.

[Gonnuts]

5. I suspect bush ...

is polishing this pricks Meddle of Freedom as we speak.

"Torture? Oh yeah, we USED to do that, but we don't do that anymore, so you can quit asking us about that. Let's move along now ..."

[7 of 11]

6. Ohhh okay...that's different then. You had me worried there... (sarcasm)

The WRONGS if this current regime knows no boundaries. I hope they all end up in prison for life....goddam maggots!

[Solly Mack]

8. 1 - there is NO - LEGAL - form of torture

"...human rights groups call an illegal form of torture"

2 - Water-boarding IS torture and it has ALWAYS been torture and in a time of war, it IS a war crime. It is at ALL times a crime against humanity.

3 - It doesn't matter IF (and that's a really big IF) the torture has been stopped - that in no way changes the guilt of those who engaged in torture or the guilt of those who implemented a torture policy. Nor does it absolve anyone of their responsibility to hold the guilty accountable.

Anyone pretending it is a case of ascertaining the "legality" of water boarding is doing nothing more than trying to provide cover for the guilty.

[keopeli]

9. Why not? If they believe it's such a wonderful technique why not use it? Is giving up to terrorists?

Such duplicity it's astounding.

[Thor_MN]

10. It's been 366 days, so it's more than a year, so we haven't used it in years...

for interrogations, mind you. We use it all the time for assays, audits, canvassing, checkups, cross-examinations, entreaties, exams, explorations, grillings, inquests, inquiries, inquisitions, inspections, investigations, once-overs, perusals, probes, quests, questionings, quizes, queries, raids, research, reviews, scans, searches, solicitations, studies, surveys, etc.

[Xipe Totec]

11. The rest was outsourced; CIA just watched

perverts

[louis-t]

12. Ah, if he's the 'former' DNI, how does he know?

Gonzo must've told him. And we all know how trustworthy HE is.:eyes:

[Deny and Shred]

13. Another candidate for retroactive immunity

Sure, BushCo takes a seven-year dump on the Constitution and human rights, denied it the whole time, now want to sweep in under the rug with a comment and no further explanation. Works for the GOP. Georgie plays too much golf, expects a mulligan on everything.

[daleo]

14. It's kool-aide boarding now

Negroponte replaced the water with kool-aide, so its all better.

[UpInArms]

15. flashback: January 2005 - Gonzales Promises Non - Torture Policy

one of Khephra's final posts (oh how I miss him)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1124083&mesg_id=1124083

Khephra (1000+ posts) Wed Jan-05-05 02:43 PM
Original message

Gonzales Promises Non - Torture Policy

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzales plans to promise to abide by the government's non-torture policies and international treaties if he is confirmed by the Senate, The Associated Press learned Wednesday.

snip...........

In a prepared statement obtained by The Associated Press, Gonzales plans to promise the Senate Judiciary Committee to abide by all of the United States' treaty obligations if he is confirmed as the first Hispanic U.S. attorney general.

Bush already has made clear that the government will defend Americans from terrorists ``in a manner consistent with our nation's values and applicable law, including our treaty obligations,'' Gonzales says in his prepared testimony. ``I pledge that, if I am confirmed as attorney general, I will abide by those commitments.''

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Senate-Gonzales.html