Douglas Feith

Feith Denies, Denies, Denies

Kate Klonick | July 15, 2008, 4:06PM

Doug Feith was on the Hill today to testify about the interrogation techniques in Guantanamo. Joining him before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties was his nemesis, Philippe Sands, who goes back a ways with Feith.

As Spencer Ackerman blogs at the Washington Independent, Feith started off the hearing denying the statements made in Sand's book, and then got right down to alleging that the Guantanamo interrogators were rogue agents:

After going back and forth with Feith--in which Feith conceded there were indeed abuses in Defense Dept. detention and interrogation operations-- Rep. Bobby Scott (D.-Va) asked why the abusers might think they could torture detainees. "I don't believe they necessarily did think they did" had authority to torture, Feith said. "Some people do bad things."

[Late Update]: According to Ackerman, Feith also spent a fair amount of time, detailing the "great care" given to the interpretation of the 2002 memo written by Jim Haynes:

"I imagine one could apply these things in an inhumane fashion," Feith replied. "'Removal of clothing' is different from 'naked.' ... It could be done in a humane way. . . They could be used in a way that could violate the [Geneva] Convention," he explained, "they could be used in a way consistent with the Convention."

Douglas Feith

Feith and Sands Set to Testify Today

Kate Klonick | July 15, 2008, 10:08AM

Doug Feith is set to testify before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties today at 10 AM ET, to discuss interrogation techniques used on detainees. Feith has a history of not showing up for this Committee, so we'll see how it goes this time around.

Phillipe Sands, author of "Torture Team," reported in a recent Vanity Fair article that Feith boasted to him that he was a "real player" in the Guantanamo interrogation policy. Feith later defended himself, saying he'd been misquoted-- but Sands countered with the tapes from the interview. Sands will also be before the committee to testify.

We'll be covering the hearing as it happens, so stay tuned for updates.