AP: Bush: U.S. Doesn't Torture Prisoners (AP actually uses the word torture!)

[Robbien]

President Bush said Friday the United States does not torture prisoners, commenting after Vice President Dick Cheney embraced the suggestion that a dunk in water might be useful to get terrorist suspects to talk.

Human rights groups complained that Cheney's words amounted to an endorsement of a torture technique known as "water boarding," in which the victim believes he is about to drown. The White House insisted Cheney was not talking about water boarding, but would not explain what he meant.

Less than two weeks before midterm congressional elections, the White House was put on the defensive as news of Cheney's remark spread. Bush was asked about it at a White House photo opportunity with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. Presidential spokesman Tony Snow was pelted with questions at two briefings with reporters.

Democrats also pointed to Cheney's statement.

"Is the White House that was for torture before it was against it, now for torture again?" tweaked Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. Kerry, in his unsuccessful campaign for the presidency, had been skewered by Bush for saying he had voted for war funds before he voted against them.

http://www.tribune-democrat.com/feeds/apcontent/apstories/apstorysection/D8L172LO0.xml.txt/resources_apstoryview

about time they stopped with that silly "abuse" euphemism

[Solly Mack]

1. "I am not a crook"

[mom cat]

10. Bingo!

[Solly Mack]

11. It's what I hear each time they say "We don't torture"

And after Cheney's recent admission and Snow's confirmation, it's really become the defining phrase.

[pooja]

2. A little water... is it like a Carnival with prizes and stuff?????

[BootinUp]

3. Its not the first time, see my sig line. n/t

[sam sarrha]

4. oh??? here is * 's picture shaking hands with the Devil.. the 'Boiler'..LINK>

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article.3943.htm if you scroll down there are some pictures of peoples limbs that were boiled.. caution

he made a treaty deal with that sick psychopathic MONSTER.. but then so is *

we kidnap people in a foreign country and fly them to be tortured by Uzbekistan

[Judi Lynn]

12. You're right: he embraced that ghoul and his insane torture long ago!

Didn't bat an eye, either. Couldn't have been more cordial with a man who boils his prisoners alive, as well as torturing them in other ways, as well. (You can see unbelievable bruising on their dead bodies in photos on the internet.)

Clearly _Bush doesn't find torture distasteful in any sense, and you just can't do worse than boiling people, which is A-O.K. with him.

[twaddler01]

5. Perfect timing for Cheney's statement...

I think they are TRYING to lose this next election...

[MsUnderstood]

6. WHo gave this yahoo a microphone?

Read the transcript:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061024-7.html


Is this biased:

Q I wanted to ask you a little bit about the election coming up. And Minnesota is an example. We got a great governor in Tim Pawlenty who I know -- you know well is in a dogfight. . . .

YOu ask him about hunting is that a joke?

Q Mr. Vice President, always an honor. And lastly, I should again extend my invite as I have many times before. I know you're fond of pheasant hunting in South Dakota, but there's some great bird hunting in North Dakota. Is this going to be the year you come up and do a little bird hunting in North Dakota?

[Disturbed]

7. Torture has been practiced and sanctioned by the Pres. of

the USA. He denies that the methods that were used are classified as Torture. I suggest that he, Cheney, Rumsfool undergo all of those methods voluntarily and then let us know if they still consider those only "bold" methods.

[Ms. Clio]

8. 400 years ago, a "dunk in the water" was also thought useful for witches

A Witch Ducking

Illustration from A Popular History of the United States by William Cullen Bryant. New York, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1896. One 'foolproof' way to establish whether a suspect was a witch was ducking. With right thumb bound to left toe, the accused was plunged into a convenient pond. If he or she floated it proved an association with the black arts, with the body rejecting the baptismal water. If the victim drowned he or she was innocent. A ducking stool or diving chair was also used in America for witches.
(courtesy of The Boston Public Library, Rare Books Dept.)
citation: http://www.hawthorneinsalem.org/images/image.php?name=MMD2306

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Tell it to the tribunal, Frat Boy!!

The Palace of Peace
The Hague
Home of the International Criminal Court

Photo from the Dossier Nederland (The Netherlands)

[Judi Lynn]

13. Waterboarding is described as a form of torture as far back as the Italian Inquisition.

click on image for detail from illustration:

"The Water Torture"

Facsimile of a woodcut in J. Damhoudère's Praxis Rerum Criminalium in 4to, Antwerp, 1556.

[DeepModem Mom]

14. NYT: Furor Over Cheney Remark on Tactics for Terror Suspects

Furor Over Cheney Remark on Tactics for Terror Suspects
By NEIL A. LEWIS
Published: October 28, 2006

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 — The White House found itself fending off questions on Friday about what Vice President Dick Cheney meant when he agreed with a talk-radio host that there was nothing wrong with dunking a terrorism suspect in water if it saved lives.

Tony Snow, the White House spokesman, said Mr. Cheney was not endorsing water-boarding, a coercive interrogation technique that simulates drowning and that many have said qualifies as torture. Mr. Snow said Mr. Cheney was not, in fact, referring to any technique, whether it was torture or not, because administration officials do not discuss interrogation methods.

President Bush was also confronted by reporters about Mr. Cheney’s comments as he made a joint appearance with Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the secretary general of NATO. “This country does not torture; we’re not going to torture,” Mr. Bush said, without referring directly to Mr. Cheney or his comments.

The questioning was set off when Mr. Cheney was interviewed Tuesday by Scott Hennen, a conservative radio talk show host in Fargo, N.D. “Would you agree that a dunk in water is a no-brainer if it can save lives?” Mr. Hennen asked.

“Well, it’s a no-brainer for me,” Mr. Cheney replied. “But for a while there I was criticized as being the vice president for torture. We don’t torture. That’s not what we’re involved in.”...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/washington/28cheney.html

[54anickel]

15. In that "interview" (propaganda) , I believe the context was waterboarding.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2583087&mesg_id=2583169

And what the heck is with touting the wives out to defend this criminals these days anyway? Laura saying * didn't mislead, now Lynne telling Blizter he's building mountains outta mole hills. Meanwhile the press does nothing to point out the context of that "interview" at all.

[truthisfreedom]

16. the context was MOST DEFINITELY waterboarding.

no question about it. the very word "waterboarding" was used leading up to the question.

[Erika]

18. The torture includes forcing water down the throats

of any who disagree with Bush. Their faces are covered.

[Erika]

17. The torture W/Cheney has allowed is sickening and horrific

How dare he/they in our name? How dare he/they?

[woo me with science]

19. I suspect this was purposeful.

Red meat for the base.

[ShockediSay]

20. “This country does not torture" ... part of the greatest

Story ever sold.

Can anybody trust what he says???

[Erika]

21. No. n/t

[Straight Shooter]

22. They say, "We don't torture." They also said, "We don't spy on Americans." n/t