John Ashcroft: I’m Willing To Be Waterboarded

[kpete]

John Ashcroft: I’m Willing To Be Waterboarded

Last night, former Attorney General John Ashcroft delivered an address on national security at the University of Colorado. The event was marked by heated protests. About 20 student protesters wearing “shirts with ’shame’ written on the backs and wearing American flags over their faces, welcomed Ashcroft to the stage by standing up and turning their backs to him.”

During the speech, Ashcroft caused an uproar when he declared Guantanamo Bay was a “good place” for detainees. In addition, he defended the torture tactic of waterboarding:

Ashcroft also responded to questions from the audience. The first question came from a woman who asked if Ashcroft would be willing to be subjected to waterboarding.

“The things that I can survive, if it were necessary to do them to me, I would do,” he said.

Ashcroft apparently believes that torture should be allowed as long as it doesn’t kill him.

more at:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/28/ashcroft-waterboard...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Can I help?

[Demeter]

2. Get in Line

[peace frog]

3. Well hell, strap the man to the chair and let's get started!

We know lots of friendly, helpful CIA and Pentagon operatives who would be more than pleased to officiate.

[MrCoffee]

4. i think it's absolutely necessary that john ashcroft be waterboarded

[TechBear_Seattle]

5. So who wants to be first with the watering can?

I bet there will be no shortage of volunteers, Johnny boy.

[Clovis Sangrail]

6. that sounds to me like he's saying it'll never happen to him

but "if it does" .....

I think a better question would be
"If you were arrested by a foreign govt and water boarded, would the US govt consider that torture or interrogation?"

[SoCalDem]

7. get the ropes... drown that rat

Let the eeeeeeagle..(glub glug bluurrggg) soaaaaar!!

[kentuck]

8. By al Qaeda?

OK John?

[Vanje]

9. Get out the hose and LET THE EAGLE FLY! nt

[Benhurst]

10. Then strap him down and tell him it will stop only when he admits to

planning 9/11 and the crucifixion of Christ.

My guess, they'll have a signed confession within a minute.

[NYC Liberal]

11. But you know if it happened to him

he would scream "TORTURE!" (as long as it was a foreign government...or not the Bushit admin doing it)

[Lamonte]

34. Torture justifiable?

What confuses me about torture is this: Both Christians and Islamics believe that God toretures for eternity those unfortunate to not belong to those religions. I would not do this to Adolph Hitler, but God, according to many, does this eternally. Perhaps this is why both the middle east and the U.S. do it also.

[eleny]

12. His quote sounds like gibberish

[Xipe Totec]

13. Waterboard him and make him confess that Elvis is alive

that should demonstrate just how credible evidence obtained under torture is.

If he admits that Elvis lives, the whole justification for "enhanced interrogation" crumbles.

[Solly Mack]

14. He's counting on the Crisco ® to protect him

Ashcroft always has been a piece of shit

People were rounded up under AG Ashcroft. Extraordinary renditions were carried out under AG Ashcroft. And people were being tortured when he was AG as well. OF COURSE Ashcroft would trivialize torture...he's just as guilty as the rest of the Bush administration.

[madokie]

15. the whole crew believes that

[spanone]

16. Let's do it...in public....coming to a mall near you!!!!

[Ezlivin]

17. He needs the full experience

He should be snatched off the street when he's not expecting it, hooded and taken for a long trip. He should be yelled at in another (incomprehensible) language.

Then he should be waterboarded and be made to confess to bizarre and obviously untrue activities.

And all of it should be recorded.

Then he'd really know what waterboarding entails.

[Annces]

18. That is so nice of him to concede that

and completely empty.

[mod mom]

19. Do it! Prime time tv covered on all the stations!

[WinkyDink]

20. The operative word is clearly "IF". Nowhere does he say "I'm willing...."

[enki23]

21. and i'm willing to donate a kidney. so what?

would you then, johnny boy, say that coerced and/or forcible kidney extraction was likewise legal?

[NewJeffCT]

22. Let's write to Olbermann on this

I'm sure Ashcroft will qualify his statement like the Swift Boat guy did with Kerry.

[derby378]

23. Look, just because I've shocked myself with 110V AC and lived to tell about it...

...doesn't mean that I'm keen on repeating the procedure on myself. Nor do I want it used as an "enhanced interrogation technique" or whatever the kids in DC call it nowadays.

[sinkingfeeling]

24. Some group ought to take him up on his offer. Stage the whole event and try several

different 'interrogation' techniques out on him.

[murray hill farm]

25. Welllllllllllllllll...OK then....

lets do it!

[tjwash]

26. **sound of 105000 DU'ers hands going up...ME ME ME ME!!"***

[blogslut]

27. Nice, preemption there, Johnny

“The things that I can survive, if it were necessary to do them to me, I would do.” he said.


To translate:

"If my advanced age and declining health were considered before waterboarding, I would not be waterboarded".

Funny how your victims aren't allowed such considerations, Mr. Ashcroft.

[Golden Raisin]

28. Make sure its done by

one of our seasoned "professionals" from either Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo. I'm sure Blackwater personnel are well versed too. We don't want any amateur giving Mr. Ashcroft a namby-pamby, Winnie The Pooh version of waterboarding. I want the real thing.

[Lamonte]

29. Torture justifiable?

I am against torture. I am against sleep deprivation. Better
results can be had through normal psychological methods.
However, I am confused by Christian and Islamic beliefs. They
both believe that God will torture for eternity if you have
the misfortune to not be one of their group. This comment is
for the people that believe God will do this to his victims.
How can you square this with the millions that are against
torture?

[Ravy]

30. Sure, he says that NOW,

but once we get him on the 'board with that wet rag over his head, he will say anything we want him to say.

[bdamomma]

31. let him experience it, and then say it isn't torture.

he would certainly change his tune, to be strapped onto a board with the continual feeling of being drowned.

[HughMoran]

32. This I gotta see!

There is a good chance that it would end up killing him if they aren't careful though, he should really watch what he says!

[Kucinich4America]

33. Let the Eagle DROWN

Give the Crisco Kid what he asks for. Waterboard the bastard.

[shadowknows69]

35. I'll rent the pay per view for that

[sakabatou]

36. SO many people would be willing to pay to see that

[mdmc]

37. would he allow himself to be tortured by people that could also

put him to death?

I mean, I would let my dear mom waterboard me; she would never let me come to harm.