Obama: I Believe Waterboarding Is Torture
ABC's Jake Tapper just asked Obama if he thought that the Bush administration "sanctioned torture" in its use of waterboarding and Obama, after a moment's hesitation, said "Waterboarding violates our ideals and our values. I do believe that it's torture."
In his opening statement he also said that his administration put an end to torture, and there's no reason to say that unless you think torture was happening. But it's probably the most direct admission to date and, given recent events, it comes at noteworthy time.
After making that acknowledgment, Obama reiterated many of the points he made when he addressed the CIA after greenlighting the release of the Bush-era torture memoranda--that torture makes the country less safe, is untrue to American values, and less effective than humane interrogation techniques.
Josh
Matt
Eric
So, assuming that he believes in Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, where does that leave us?
April 29, 2009 8:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, but Obama still avoided the question, which was whether he thinks the Bush administration SANCTIONED torture.
So he's still fluffing on whether these guys will be held accountable.
April 29, 2009 8:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
He has said that the prior administration sanctioned waterboarding. He says waterboarding is torture. Ergo, he says they sanctioned torture.
April 29, 2009 9:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
So has he said that those who tortured will be held accountable? No.
Mind you, it's not Obama's call. It's DoJ's. But he should know what his AG is planning to do with this, and pressing him to uphold the law.
April 30, 2009 12:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Perhaps it is a very good idea that Obama did not prejudice the situation so that it is still viable that Cheney can get a fair trial in court.
April 29, 2009 9:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is not news.
He's been saying "he believes" this for literally years.
He's also been refusing to DO some damn thing about it for that long. (In violation of his and our treaty-bound duty.)
Obama continues to aide and abet after-the-fact.
April 29, 2009 9:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have been very critical of Obama's weak/waffling language on this issue. Tonight, however, it seemed to me that there was real emotion behind his words. He conveyed (to me, at least) that this is an issue that truly saddens him. How could any American leader trade in our values and ideals so easily and evilly? He avoids directly saying that the Bush administration sanctioned torture--when referring directly to the "mistake" he called it "enhanced interrogation"--because torture is a LEGAL term. As president, he has to be careful, regardless of his beliefs and convictions, not to use legal terminology that could possibly influence ANY possible investigation/prosecution.
Also, I wonder if Spain's decision today to formally investigate war crimes by Bush et al might nudge him toward understanding that investigating any American for war crimes will NEVER come at a politically convenient time? Perhaps Spain will give him a courtesy call to the effect of, "Look, we'd rather the United States take care of its own international crimes, but we're not going to sit idly by and allow war criminals to go unpunished. What's your plan to prosecute?" If that happens we may see Eric Holder go ahead with that special prosecutor after all. If not, GO SPAIN, GO!!!!
April 29, 2009 9:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
There is nothing improper about describing facts. U.S. government officials tortured persons in U.S. custody. This is not a "belief" or opinion. There is no "other side."
Obama is not euphemizing reality out of concern for DOJ independence. If he were at all concerned about that, he would not be arrogating onto himself the role of prosecutor, judge, and jury by telling CIA agents they have immunity if they relied on the tortured legalisms issued by the OLC.
The bushcheney torture program was a criminal enterprise. To pretend anything else, like Obama is doing, makes about as much sense as claiming that a bank robbery committed in broad daylight might actually have been an "alternative method of cash withdrawal" (to paraphrase Jonathan Turley).
Even worse, it promotes pro-torture propaganda.
April 30, 2009 2:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
He sure sounds more like a President in his address than the horse's ass that last held the office. Here's a link to his full press conference if anybody needs.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#30487155
April 30, 2009 8:51 AM | Reply | Permalink