Pruden complains that there's "[n]o waterboarding (not even when a grubby bewhiskered terrorist clearly needs a bath)"

January 29, 2010 10:54 pm ET by Media Matters staff

From a column for the January 30 print edition of The Washington Times:

What is easy to verify is how soft the Obama administration continues to be on terrorists. No waterboarding (not even when a grubby bewhiskered terrorist clearly needs a bath), no harsh questioning. No fair treating such a soldier of Allah like FDR was willing to treat a soldier of the Nazis or a Shinto warrior during World War II.

– George W. Bush, "Statement in Support of Victims of Torture". White House Press Release. 23 June 2003.

Freedom from torture is an inalienable human right. The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment, ratified by the United States and more than 130 other countries since 1984, forbids governments from deliberately inflicting severe physical or mental pain or suffering on those within their custody or control.

... The United States is committed to the world-wide elimination of torture and we are leading this fight by example. I call on all governments to join with the United States and the community of law-abiding nations in prohibiting, investigating, and prosecuting all acts of torture and in undertaking to prevent other cruel and unusual punishment. I call on all nations to speak out against torture in all its forms and to make ending torture an essential part of their diplomacy...

Sen. John McCain on Fox News

Waterboarding is torture, period. I can assure you that once enough physical pain is inflicted on someone, they will tell that interrogator whatever they think they want to hear. And most importantly, it serves as a great propaganda tool for those who recruit people to fight against us.

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- by Dradeeus (January 29, 2010 10:58 pm ET)
  2
  
  Stay classy, San Diego.
  
  Reply Report Abuse
  - by Dradeeus (January 29, 2010 10:59 pm ET)
    8
    
    I think it might be worth mentioning... do you know what we did to Japanese who authorized water-boarding in World War II? Gave them the DEATH PENALTY.
    
    Reply Report Abuse
    - by ForTheLoveOfEllipsis... (January 30, 2010 2:45 pm ET)
      2
      
      Yes, Dradeeus, but they were the bad guys! We're the good guys, so it's okay if we waterboard!
      
      "The good guys can do anything rotten"--Hawkeye Pierce
      
      Reply Report Abuse
- by aBeck in 10-O-C (January 30, 2010 12:59 am ET)
  3
  
  – George W. Bush, "Statement in Support of Victims of Torture". White House Press Release. 23 June 2003.
  
  Freedom from torture is an inalienable human right. The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment, ratified by the United States and more than 130 other countries since 1984, forbids governments from deliberately inflicting severe physical or mental pain or suffering on those within their custody or control.
  
  ... The United States is committed to the world-wide elimination of torture and we are leading this fight by example. I call on all governments to join with the United States and the community of law-abiding nations in prohibiting, investigating, and prosecuting all acts of torture and in undertaking to prevent other cruel and unusual punishment. I call on all nations to speak out against torture in all its forms and to make ending torture an essential part of their diplomacy...
  
  Sen. John McCain on Fox News
  Waterboarding is torture, period. I can assure you that once enough physical pain is inflicted on someone, they will tell that interrogator whatever they think they want to hear. And most importantly, it serves as a great propaganda tool for those who recruit people to fight against us.
  
  Reply Report Abuse
- by foghornleghorn (January 30, 2010 11:49 am ET)
  3
  
  It's also worth noting that the CIA guy who claimed that waterboarding KSM uncovered actionable intelligence now says he was not in the room when the waterboarding took place and no good intelligence was obtained.
  
  Reply Report Abuse

Pruden complains that there's "[n]o waterboarding (not even when a grubby bewhiskered terrorist clearly needs a bath)"

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Pruden complains that there's "[n]o waterboarding (not even when a grubby bewhiskered terrorist clearly needs a bath)"

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