McConnell backtracks on waterboarding.
By on Jan 16th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
McConnell backtracks on waterboarding.
Earlier this week, The New Yorker reported that Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said that “waterboarding would be torture” if used against him. Today, McConnell appeared to back away from his stance when asked about that comment. “The United States does not engage in torture. We do use enhanced interrogation techniques. … It has saved lives. And so from my point of view, we’ve accomplished the mission within the bounds of U.S. law,” he said.
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Clearly, he was schooled with a not so brief stint in Cheney’s man size prison, er safe…
January 16th, 2008 at 7:41 pmIf this practice is not illegal, it looks like reparations for a few Japanese war criminals are in order.
Equal protection under the law, and all that.
January 16th, 2008 at 7:44 pm“within the bounds of U.S. law.”
of course.
U.S. law, under Bush, allows what the rest of the world calls torture.
January 16th, 2008 at 7:47 pmThe full text of McConnel’s statement:
“The United States does not engage in torture. We do use enhanced interrogation techniques. … It has saved lives. And so from my point of view, we’ve accomplished the mission within the bounds of U.S. law because no one waterboarded me.”
January 16th, 2008 at 7:47 pmMarcus – and we have to re-write the books on the Spanish Inquisition. The Roman Catholic Church was just using “enhanced interrogation techniques.”
January 16th, 2008 at 7:48 pm“within the bounds of U.S. law.â€
….or at least as modified by a presidential signing statement.
January 16th, 2008 at 7:50 pm“The United States does not engage in torture. We do use enhanced interrogation techniques. … It has saved lives. And so from my point of view, we’ve accomplished the mission within the bounds of U.S. law,†McConnell said after he pulled off his water-soaked hood.
January 16th, 2008 at 7:52 pmThis man stands the word semantics on its head! He is a major equivocator!
equivocate |iˈkwivəˌkÄt|
verb [ intrans. ]
use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself
And this is another trick that the neocons use all the time. The common man, who is not familiar with the meaning of “neocon speak,” (like “enhanced interrogation techniques”) will hear jibberish and simply pay no heed.
We need to confront “neocon speak,” every time we meet it and expose these con(fidence) men for who they are!
January 16th, 2008 at 7:57 pmThat was a quick
reprogrammingretraction.And they wonder why intelligent people doubt their honesty…..
January 16th, 2008 at 7:57 pmwhirrrrr…boiiiinnngggg!…..
Comment by justasking
I’m known about these parts for being somewhat reluctant to embrace a lot of electronics and gadgetry, so at the risk of sounding like a total rube, what does all that whirring and clacking signify?
January 16th, 2008 at 7:58 pmIf you don’t mind my asking…
Comment by justasking — January 16, 2008 @ 7:50 pm
Very good! Beautifully said.
January 16th, 2008 at 7:59 pmWe need to confront “neocon speak,†every time we meet it and expose these con(fidence) men for who they are!
Comment by Merlin — January 16, 2008 @ 7:57 pm
Exactly.
January 16th, 2008 at 8:00 pmIf you don’t mind my asking…
Comment by Nevar — January 16, 2008 @ 7:58 pm
rovots.
January 16th, 2008 at 8:00 pmComment by justasking — January 16, 2008 @ 7:50 pm
That was well done, and funny.
January 16th, 2008 at 8:01 pmI gave a recomend
If you don’t mind my asking…
Comment by Nevar — January 16, 2008 @ 7:58 pm
rovots.
Comment by Lefty Patriot — January 16, 2008 @ 8:00 pm
Bushbots
January 16th, 2008 at 8:02 pmheh
… that does not compute… danger… danger Will Robinson!!! Danger!!!
January 16th, 2008 at 8:02 pmOrwell would be proud!
This guy is GOOD. Has anyone thought to ask him what the meaning of “is” is??
January 16th, 2008 at 8:13 pmMcConnel is a very creepy person. Democracy Now had a short notice of his proposed intent for surveillance of ALL web traffic, including personal e-mail.
January 16th, 2008 at 8:14 pmI wonder who owns him. He is the classic mouthpiece type, sweaty, whiny, shrill, so earnest he reeks for fear of his masters…….
Republicans always have 2 stories.
January 16th, 2008 at 8:21 pmComment by Nevar — January 16, 2008 @ 8:14 pm
I wonder who owns him. He is the classic mouthpiece type, sweaty, whiny, shrill, so earnest he reeks for fear of his masters…….
Speculation abounds, but the real hands behind that ownership may take time to come out. Maybe years before someone like “deep throat” opens the door into that deep dank cellar. J. Edgar Hoover comes to mind.
January 16th, 2008 at 8:21 pmRepublicans always have 2 stories.
Comment by Guido OBGYN Lover — January 16, 2008 @ 8:21 pm
At least 2
January 16th, 2008 at 8:24 pmSometimes quite a few more.
Marcus – and we have to re-write the books on the Spanish Inquisition. The Roman Catholic Church was just using “enhanced interrogation techniques.â€
Comment by Briseadh na Faire — January 16, 2008 @ 7:48 pm
And the Kamir Rouge, as well as many more.
January 16th, 2008 at 8:29 pmDamn, we will have to rewrite all the History books.
the door into that deep dank cellar. J. Edgar Hoover comes to mind.
Comment by Merlin
…agreed, all those closets to look through…
January 16th, 2008 at 8:39 pmIf the deciding factor is “it works”, have we tried gang raping his three year old while he watches? That might work too.
January 16th, 2008 at 9:45 pmInhanced B.S….saves lives?????…..does that mean torture is better than death??????…..is he going to ask some DEAD people to back this up?….this man is real sick.
January 16th, 2008 at 9:56 pm“The United States does not engage in torture. We do use enhanced interrogation techniques. … It has saved lives. And so from my point of view, we’ve accomplished the mission within the bounds of U.S. law,†he said.
And, as he said it, his eyelids blinked in Morse code: “Help me. Help me. Help me…”
January 16th, 2008 at 11:46 pmAs Andrew Sullivan has observed in several different venues, the term “enhanced interrogation” translates to “Verschärfte Vernehmung” in German, and is the exact term used by the Gestapo to describe Nazi torture techniques.
Not that anyone in the US MSM would notice that, although the Times of London did.
January 17th, 2008 at 1:33 amOne story for each face they have.
January 17th, 2008 at 1:37 amYou mean, to use enhanced seduction technigues?
January 17th, 2008 at 1:40 amSeriously, many of you mentioned it in the previous posts but that is one serious “about-face” – and it seems as if he were forced to memorize a cue card and told to never deviate from the exact wording. This guy definitely got a scolding for his previous remarks.
January 17th, 2008 at 1:44 amBa-deeb,.. ba-deeb,.. ba-deeb did I just call cheney/bu$h and his gang of bu$h-bots a pack of criminals of domestic and international laws ?
Well they go to church every Sunday, pray to God daily, and are not, repeat are not – international criminals.
My dicussions were directed to the administration of Bill Clinton. Now there is a pack of heathen criminal types.
January 17th, 2008 at 3:47 amLet’s waterboard the whole damn bunch and be done with it!
Pay-per-view anyone?
January 17th, 2008 at 8:08 amOf course he did they informed him how many politicians would be brought up on War Crimes by US .
January 17th, 2008 at 8:34 amThis was determined to be Torture DECADES AGO. We’d not only have to Indict the Executive branch, but both Houses of Congress with special emphasis on Particual Committes- Armed Services (Hillary)
Just hand Her the Crown Already. That must have been a hellava Luch she had with W.- what was the afterluch drink laced with-opium or Delsuions of Grandeur?
This Ol’ Bill supporter is seeing the unfortunate hand writing on the wall- You’re getting her whether you like it or not. Man they had me!! HINDSIGHTS IS 20/20.
Keep talking, Mitch, keep talking.
January 17th, 2008 at 8:51 amIs anybody else here curious about this “saved lives” part? How many lives? Which lives? How certain is it these lives would have been lost with no other recourse for salvation if not for these “enhanced interrogation techniques”?
Without some hard evidence, it’s just so much blather. I would think that the waterboarding enthusiasts would want to bolster their case by parading somebody whose life had been saved as a direct result of waterboarding — that is, if they had an actual case to parade.
January 17th, 2008 at 9:01 amIf this practice is not illegal, it looks like reparations for a few Japanese war criminals are in order.
Equal protection under the law, and all that.
Comment by Marcus Aurelius
Too late for reparations. We executed them in 1948.
January 17th, 2008 at 9:40 amDon’t stop pouring when you get Mike inverted.
January 17th, 2008 at 11:46 amLet’s waterboard the whole damn bunch and be done with it!
Pay-per-view anyone?
For that, I would get cable.
Cheney first. Just in case his ticker goes out while he’s waiting and/or watching the others.
Although… maybe we should just send him to Syria, like he did to that poor guy Maher Arar, and let ‘em work him over for, oh, a few months, or as long as his ticker holds out.
January 17th, 2008 at 4:41 pm.
I would like to see Mike McConnell argue why the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions aren’t legitimate and don’t apply to the U.S.A.
I would then like to see him issue an apology to the Japanese Government and the victims of the U.S. prosecution for waterbording.
And lastly, but most certainly NOT least, he should show solidarity and allegiance to supporting the troops and issue an apology and reversal of the court-martial of a U.S. serviceman during Vietnam.
.
January 18th, 2008 at 5:24 am