Leahy presses Rice on Bellinger’s torture comments.

In an Oct. 24 debate, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s legal adviser, John Bellinger, refused to classify waterboarding as torture — even if it was used “on an American national by a foreign intelligence service.” Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) today asked Rice to clarify her aide’s recent comments. Via CNN Wire:

“There are reports that one of your principal aides and legal advisers, a Mr. John Bellinger, is taking the legal position that he cannot say whether it is permissible to waterboard Americans and that it depends on the facts and circumstances,” Leahy said about the State Department’s principal adviser on domestic and international law.

“I could not disagree more strongly. There are no conceivable facts or circumstances that would justify waterboarding an American anywhere in the world for any reason. Our treaty obligations and domestic law make waterboarding illegal. Please respond without delay and set this matter straight.”