The fact that waterboarding was repeated so many times may raise questions about its effectiveness, as well as about assertions by Bush administration officials that their methods were used under strict guidelines.
A footnote to another 2005 Justice Department memo released Thursday said waterboarding was used both more frequently and with a greater volume of water than the C.I.A. rules permitted.
The new information on the number of waterboarding episodes came out over the weekend when a number of bloggers, including Marcy Wheeler of the blog emptywheel, discovered it in the May 30, 2005, memo.
The sentences in the memo containing that information appear to have been redacted from some copies but are visible in others. Initial news reports about the memos in The New York Times and other publications did not include the numbers.
Michael V. Hayden, director of the C.I.A. for the last two years of the Bush administration, would not comment when asked on the program “Fox News Sunday” if Mr. Mohammed had been waterboarded 183 times. He said he believed that that information was still classified.
Here is a link to the released memos. By the way I lean towards incompetence.
Bleeding Heart Liberals make me want to puke. Did Al-Qaeda sign the Geneva Convention? When it comes to protecting and saving American Lives, I would do whatever it takes to get the info needed, including applying electricity to various parts of the anatomy, with the promise that it would get worse if the info was bad. We are not talking about interrogating children in the class room to see who stole Johnny's lunch money. We are talking about the potential use of a nuclear explosion or release of bio-agents that would kill and maim people by the thousands or even tens of thousands. I agree with others who say "who cares what the rest of the world thinks". If you take up arms against the Unites States of America and threaten to attack and or harm our citizens, you should know that we will do what it takes top protect our country. You people make me wonder where your alliances are. Loud music, sleep deprivation, forced to stand or sit in small areas, sexual humiliation, (God forbid someone should desecrate the Koran), water boarding? Give me a break! What will you be crying about when the Al-Qaeda Terrorists attack in your own back yard? What will you be crying when your friends and family are killed or injured in the next terrorist attack on American Soil? The democratic party has a history of dismantling our military and national security and President Obama is making up for lost time. Oh………and shut down the ACLU. They are worthless and we tax payers pay their salaries. It is way beyond me why a terrorist or enemy combatant captured on the field of battle should have the same rights that Americans have fought and died for, and that they are trying so hard to destroy. They will get no sympathy from me. I have friends who have died on 9/11/01. I have friends and family who have been to Iraq and Afghanistan to fight while the rest of us stay nice and cozy at home. The democrats seem more interested in a witch hunt than securing and protecting our country. The only thing they are trying to protect is their own control over our government and seem to feel the way to do that is to continue to lay blame on the previous administration. Hopefully, before it is too late, they will be "the previous administration".
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ReplyDeleteThe previous post clearly shows that there is a division in the US about what is and is not appropriate. I agree that there is controversy about what techniques can and should be used to possibly stop a future attack. However, such actions can never be justified. Millions of innocent people were tortured and killed as a means to raise Nazi Germans above other inferior races. The justifications for such horrible behavior were also in place at the time. Looking back, however, these behaviors are utterly barbaric. The behaviors of the US will also be something that we will look back on with embarassment, just as the Germans do now for their behaviors during the Holocaust.
ReplyDeleteThe liberties of the terrorists ended the minute they attacked us on 9/11. Hurray for Bush's order to use reasonable interrogation techniques on several hard-targets that ulitmiately were broken and began to talk. Apparently the information was very helpful for our military to begin operations that resulted in thousands of terrorists meeting Allah much sooner than they planned...
ReplyDeleteIt was a huge mistake for Obama to release this information but it clearly says that he did it for his OWN interest and not that of America. It was nothing but a political move and there's no telling how much we will suffer because of it. I also tired of hearing others compare the interrogation techniques to the what the Nazi Germans did. Did we gas millions of innocent men, women and CHILDREN??? No! Do people really think that if we just "ask nicely" they're going to give us the information we want?? Please... It will be interesting to see what people say the next time we're attacked (God forbid).
ReplyDeleteI wish they would of used waterboarding instead of bombing the Towers. Lord lets get real here, we are dealing with terroist. There is no laws governing how we get information on these idiots. I am and would uphold what Bush did, more so than what obama has even done.
ReplyDeleteIs waterboarding really torture? I personally have never experienced it, nor do I want to. I have a brother who had it done to him as part of special ops training. He is a Ranger.
ReplyDeleteHe says that, although it is extremely unpleasant, it is not torture. He was also not physially harmed as a result. Perhaps because he knew he wouldn't be harmed, it may have lessened any psychological effects.
People have made good points that Al Qaeda not signing the Geneva Convention.
to suggest that anyone, whether it be the president or a civilian, is interested in making america less safe, really needs to have his/her head examined. it only proves that 46% of you were duped into thinking you were safe(r) during Bush's reign. a color coded threat system doesn't achieve anything other than state generated paranoia. for those of you who don't live in NYC, it has the same weaknesses it had in 2001. the borders and ports are porous and public places remain unguarded. blaming Obama for all of your ills isn't helping to solve any of our collective problems. talking tough is easy, while achieving it is another thing altogether.
ReplyDeleteI bet the bum was squeaky clean after all that watering...How many times 173? Should have gone in for a world record.
ReplyDeleteOk, lets see March 2003 had 31 days, that would mean that if they did 183 water-boardings, it would be about 6 times a day.
ReplyDeleteI'd say mighty generous to do to a 9/11 master mind terrorist. I would have been much less generous.
People have misjudged this war since the beginning. When the attack a cured on 9/11 Al Qaeda was not targeting a Military Base or Political Office, they were targeting Americans period. This is not new news it has been happening for years just overseas. As Americans we are always afraid of what others will say about us for in our eyes we think that are actions represent the good in the world. Well after having a lengthy Military career and being stationed overseas for almost 7 years, I’m here to tell you the world doesn’t care what we do or how we do it. I have lived in several countries in Europe and Asia. Trust me when I say they have no more respect for us then do to our enemies.
ReplyDeleteOur leaders Republican or Democrat have all said that we as a nation will act in all means possible to defend our right to freedom. Yet as time as shown over and over again, our citizens forget what happened last week. Americans soldiers have been tortured and killed by numerous countries in the past. I’m not saying it is right, but has of yet we (Americans) have not killed a prisoner by the use of torture in GITMO.
Maybe we should try giving them (Prisoners) freedom in the United States and Money. At least this way the next time we let a GITMO prisoner go and he decides he wants to kill Americans again we will not have to go across the globe to get him back. I mean they have caught several of them more than twice, and one of the most recently releases is in charge of Al Qaeda in Yemen.
Maybe it is time for America to stop taking a back seat, well our soldiers are fighting and dieing. You can not buy your way out of a war, you either win or lose. And for me losing is not an option.
The Bible says... an eye for an eye... Maybe we should just drop 110 stories of concrete and steel on their heads while we burn them with jet fuel instead of the waterboarding! And you don't think THAT was torture for thousands of innocent Americans to die that death? Oh, how soon so many of us have forgotten! Wake up Liberals! Those that you are "saving" from waterboarding and freeing from prison today will be back to kill you tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember 4 headless bodies hanging from a bridge, numerous videos of people being shot or beheaded (I would call that torture not only for the victim, but their family and friends) Bodies being dragged around in the streets and people are upset at waterboarding. Amazing. My guess is, that if President Bush was a democrat the republicans would have been against waterboarding and the democrats would have backed him.
ReplyDeleteWell, If Bush wouldn't have LIED about WMDs in Iraq, there would not have been these unwinable wars. So see, liberal or not, the blame for all those lives fall on Bush and those who perpetrated the lie. Republicans are nothing but warmongers, kill kill kill blow up death death death. Sheesh get real. These people need to get a life. NEWS: you all lost the election. Deal with it!
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