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We Don't Discuss Interrogation Techniques until We Want to
It was one of the most familiar refrains from the White House's mouthpieces over the past several years: we don't discuss interrogation techniques. Take, for instance, this characteristic exchange between White House spokeswoman Dana Perino and a reporter at a briefing in December, after Perino explained that "al Qaeda listens closely to everything that we do and say"...
Q But when you have a former CIA officer, John Kiriakou, now saying that waterboarding was used -- since you're saying the interrogations were legal; he's saying on the record now, waterboarding was used in at least one case. You're saying waterboarding is legal?MS. PERINO: Ed, I'm saying I'm not commenting on any specific technique. I'm not commenting on that gentleman's characteristics of any possible technique. I've given you a very general statement about interrogations being legal, limited and --
Q You just said it was legal.
MS. PERINO: I'm sorry?
Q You said it was within the legal framework.
MS. PERINO: Yes.
Q Everything that was done.
MS. PERINO: Yes.
Q So waterboarding is legal.
MS. PERINO: I'm not commenting on any specific techniques. And you can ask me all sorts of different ways, and we can go back and forth, but I'm not going to do it, Ed.
Only a few weeks ago, the line was still in vogue. But no more.
What's changed? Congress is pushing legislation that would limit the use of waterboarding, in addition to other enhanced interrogation techniques. So "the consensus" in the administration was to reverse course.
It's reminiscent of the White House's recent reversal with regard to documents concerning the administration's warrantless wiretapping program. For nearly a year, they ignored the House intelligence committee's request. But now that retroactive immunity is being fiercely contended in the new surveillance bill, the White House had a change of heart.
Note: TPM Reader BM writes in to ask that we remind readers on what this medieval torture technique entails. Not a bad idea. See here for a detailed description by former Navy instructor Malcolm Nance and here for a history lesson.
Josh
Zachary
I just can't believe it! Bushco has just admitted to War Crimes and no one is doing anything about it!! There should be police on the way to the White House right now to arrest these people! Why isn't anything being done?!
February 6, 2008 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
test
February 6, 2008 2:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Why isn't anything being done?!"
Um, because "It's off the table?"
They got a Get Out Of Jail Free card from Nancy Pelosi, that's why.
February 6, 2008 2:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
But Bush has not admitted to war crimes. He and his party will deny that their actions were criminal to the very end. It will not matter to them that the reputation and governance of the United States may well be destroyed in the end. We have seen this willingness to play chicken to the very end. The sudden reversal simply becomes another tactic to delay to the end of the administration.
February 6, 2008 2:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
So here's a question: Have any Bush administration personnel gone before Congress and explicitly denied that waterboarding took place?
I'm thinking they probably parsed their words carefully while tapdancing around the issue over the past two years, but is there a possibility of a perjury/lying to Congress charge from this admission?
Seems like that sort of charge would not have to be brought during this year, although a new president would probably be pressured to let sleeping dogs lie, and criminals roam free, in the interest of comity and less partisan warfare (/Broder)
February 6, 2008 4:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
"They got a Get Out Of Jail Free card from Nancy Pelosi, that's why."
It's not like she wrote it down in blood and pinky-swore it. I'd like to think someone once in a while reminds her that she could change her mind on that and just say "That was before I found out about (fill in the blank) ..."
But no.
I certainly hope she and Harry Reid notice that WE notice which issues they decide to stand firm and show resolve on.
February 6, 2008 4:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wonder if China will come to liberate us from our torturous dictator. Someone better hurry up and build a statue of GW for us to tip over, they'll be here soon!
February 6, 2008 8:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
"We Don't Discuss Interrogation Techniques until We Want to"
Set the timetable: Send them to a war crimes tribunal where they can be forced to answer to charges.
February 6, 2008 8:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Depends on what the definition of "is" "torture" is.
February 7, 2008 8:36 AM | Reply | Permalink