Lieberman says some waterboarding OK ("not like putting burning coals on people's bodies")

[sabra]

Source: Conn Post

WASHINGTON — Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman reluctantly acknowledged Thursday that he does not believe waterboarding is torture, but believes the interrogation technique should be available only under the most extreme circumstances.
Lieberman was one of 45 senators who voted Wednesday in opposition to a bill that would limit the CIA to the 19 interrogation techniques outlined in the Army field manual. That manual prohibits waterboarding, a method where detainees typically are strapped to a bench and have water poured into their mouth and nose making them feel as if they will drown.

...

"We are at war," Lieberman said. "I know enough from public statements made by Osama bin Laden and others as well as classified information I see to know the terrorists are actively planning, plotting to attack us again. I want our government to be able to gather information again within both the law and Geneva Convention."

In the worst case scenario — when there is an imminent threat of a nuclear attack on American soil — Lieberman said that the president should be able to certify the use of waterboarding on a detainee suspected of knowing vital details of the plot.

"You want to be able to use emergency tech to try to get the information out of that person," Lieberman said. Of course, Lieberman believes such authority has limits. He does not believe the president could authorize having hot coals pressed on someone's flesh to obtain that information.

The difference, he said, is that waterboarding is mostly psychological and there is no permanent physical damage. "It is not like putting burning coals on people's bodies. The person is in no real danger. The impact is psychological," Lieberman said. Lieberman said that his position on waterboarding differs from that of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who he has endorsed as a presidential candidate. As a prisoner-of-war in Vietnam, McCain was tortured. McCain, he said, believes waterboarding is torture.


Read more: http://www.connpost.com/localnews/ci_8265434

[Lint Head]

1. We're going to the beach to go 'water boarding' this summer!

Maybe that's what Joe "The Turncoat" Lieberman is talking about.
This is insanity. America is experiencing a horrible 8 year nightmare :dem:

[saigon68]

30. Joementum is one sick SOB

He dances the tune too his puppeteers working behind the scenes

[Hissyspit]

2. More Accurate Headline: Lieberman Is A Big Fucking Asshole Of A Moron

[NanceGreggs]

3. Under the circumstances ...

... I believe such a headline would be unforgivably polite.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

4. If he thinks it's ok, he should experience it.

Asshole.

[Dr.Phool]

5. Hey Joe. I just got an e-mail about 10 minutes ago.

We're going to have a waterboarding demonstration in Tampa in a couple of weeks. I don't know all the details yet, but I know it's legit.

They found a retired Special Forces op who agreed to undergo it. There will be medical professionals on standby. I'm inviting you to attend Joe.


Here's the e-mail.

Chris, I will show up... I expect that we will cease the demonstration before there is too much distress on the part of the torturee... Also while I am an acute care nurse practitioner I do not have the appropriate equipment available for emergency resuscitation purposes... Safety MUST be PARAMOUNT... The volunteer MUST sign a release before this is undertaken releasing all from any liability re: the demonstration. I would suggest the presence of an EMT/Paramedic w/ equipment ambubag, oxygen, etc. be on site w/ backup available though I believe that we will not be taking this far enough to cause physical harm. Aspiration of the water can have significant consequences i.e., pneumonia... This needs to be considered. Does your volunteer have health insurance? Just a few points to consider IMHO... Also... Should use STERILE 0.9 Normal Saline rather than plain tap water. This is the safest thing to do .



That part was from one of the healthcare professionals in response.



Here's the original e-mail.

On Thu, Feb 14, 2008 at 10:45 AM, chris krimitsos <[e-mail]> wrote:

Thanks to Bobby Collins Idea(even though it was a joke) I have just located a retired Spec Ops who has agreed to be Water Boarded in front of the Mons Venus in about 2 weeks we will need to get the word out. This will be a real life experiment in what is Waterboarding and how Dangerous is it Really????
Please let me know if any one has any suggestions.....
Let me know if you might be interested as a back up...
Also I think I would like some of the Bleepin Truth Regulars to be part of the Experiment by pouring the water.
So That Being said who's Bringing the Water?

Viva LA Revolution!!!!!!!!!!!
www.TheBleepinTruth.com
P.S. Does anyone know an EMT or Nurse we can have on standby????

[NoodleyAppendage]

6. Yet. He will decry the Holocaust at any and every opportunity. Hypocrite!!!

I fail to see the distinction between controlled drowning torture and some of the inhuman actions taken by the Nazis against the Jews. What's scary is Lieberman's seemingly selective moral outrage. Apparently torturing Islamists is o.k., but if he were to hear of the same done to a Jew...then all hell would break loose. Torture is torture regardless of who is on the giving and receiving end.

Connecticut GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER next time around and VOTE THIS DINO ASSHOLE OUT OF OFFICE. PLEASE!!!!!!!

J

[connecticut yankee]

27. Believe me, we tried

It was the Repukes who voted him in.

And also a lot of Jewish folk who felt some sort of loyalty to him.

[JerseygirlCT]

43. He won't run again anyway

He knows he's done.

I think that's why all the crazy is coming out now. He's attempting to just let it all out for a grand finale.

Which only confirms why I've never liked the guy, anyway.

[Betty]

7. Fuck you Lieberman

you fascist

[Clovis Sangrail]

8. that "no real danger" thing pisses me off

suppose I hook cables to somebody's testicles and start to ramp up the voltage?
As long as *I know I'm not going to give them enough voltage to seriously injure them, it's OK???

IT'S TORTURE

Any of these dipshits that think it's NOT torture should be kidnapped, blindfolded, and be waterboarded by persons unknown.
'persons unkown', of course, being a group who won't actually let them drown

then they can say it's not torture... though I kinda doubt they'll feel that way

[havocmom]

9. Sign Joe up for the full Gitmo Spa Treatment

Two week stay

[olddad56]

10. How long before the police are allowed to use it to force confessions from innocent people?

[aquart]

13. An hour, forty-five minutes maybe.

Almost wish they'd do it so we can get the case into court already.

[Diane R]

11. So says a man who avoided Vietnam.

[saigon68]

31. Yes old Joe is a Cowardly Draft Dodger

Like his mentor Cheney he sought deferments because he is and was a Coward

[truthisfreedom]

12. Just when I thought holy joe couldn't embarrass our party any further...

My god, this man needs to be removed from Congress. Can we simply kick him out of our party?

[ixion]

22. he's not a dem... he's in the CT for LIEberman party

but he shouldn't even be in congress, IMO. He's a disgrace to the country.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

14. Joe, why don't you just go to hell?

What a total ass!

[Tesha]

26. He'd rather bring Hell here to us. (NT)

[Hulk]

15. I'd love to stick a few hot coals down this idiot's shorts.

Will the good people of CT be dumb enough to elect this wet noodle, ass kisser back into Congress again when all is said and done??

And I'm trying to figure out how the hell Al Gore had this tool sack of soggy bullshit for a running mate???

[pingzing58]

16. Lessons from the Catholic Church are hard to let go. Bring on the torture it's God's will.

[connecticut yankee]

28. Yeah, but

Joe's not Catholic. (as if we didn't know)

[MisterP]

17. what is he, Italo Balbo? n/t

[Kaleko]

18. "You want to be able to use emergency tech to try to get information out of that person,"

Lieberman said.

Channeling Nazi doctor Mengele, Joe?

By Jove, you are sick!

[Arctic Dave]

19. what a douchebag

PTSD is purely psychological, so obviously its not a big deal. Or so says Joe.

[snappyturtle]

20. Waterboarding is better than placing hot coals on people's bodies.

That way, we leave no visible marks. :sarcasm:

And we wonder why they hate us!

[Voltaire99]

21. Moral infant.

And this is the joke of a man you voted for in '00.

[kaybea]

23. This from a man who won't flip a light switch on Saturdays for fear

of causing offense to his God. He's a moral cretin, I don't care how observant he is of religious tradition.

[Zorra]

24. "waterboarding is mostly psychological and there is no permanent physical damage."

Isn't that special.

So it's perfectly OK to blow somebody's mind out as long as you don't leave scars.

Lieberman is a fucking nazi.

[Vinca]

25. If Lieberman - and his BFF McCain - believe torture is fine,

that means if our soldiers are captured and tortured, that's fine, too. You can't go after the "terraists" if they're doing something legal. Grandpa's a flip flopper, Lieberbush is a disgrace.

[maxrandb]

29. It's not like we shoved them in ovens and turned on the gas!

Jesus H. Christ! Could this once proud man sink any lower?

I thought the jingoistic chant was "USA! USA! USA!"

Guess we'll have to change it to "We're Not Worse! We're Not Worse! We're Not Worse!"

Ain't you just proud to be an American these days? :cry:

[tanyev]

32. Funny how the one Republican who has actually been tortured

thinks that waterboarding is torture while all the rest of the lily-livered cowards think it's a peachy thing to do.

[Gman]

33. No hot coals, but maybe Joe thinks making lamp shades out of human skin is OK?

Like the Nazi's did in the Holocaust? Remember Joe? Your parents told you about it when you were young. Your parents told you that you must make sure people never forget. Remember? Maybe you think it's OK if the recipient isn't Jewish? That makes it OK because they're enemies of Israel? Where is the line, Joe?

Joe, have you ever heard of a thing called a "double standard"?

[Deny and Shred]

34. Hey Joe - what you doing with those hot coals in your hand?

How did he get on the ticket with Gore? This idiot was one Supreme Court Justice away from the Vice Presidency. A step up from Cheney, no doubt, but c'mon. Best and Brightest ?

[Solly Mack]

35. coward

[harun]

36. Likudnik asshole (n/t)

[Az_lefty]

37. anyone who thinks waterboarding is OK should be waterboarded...

just to make sure they know what the fuck their talking about.
:grr:

[LynnTheDem]

38. It was good enough for the Spanish Inquisition! Good enough for the Japanese!

So first we pay reparations to all those whom we have jailed for using waterboarding.

Then we publicly waterboard LIEberman, Geortge bUsh etc.

Then we (again) declare TORTURE official US policy.

And don't worry about the blowback until after the fact.

[Marthe48]

39. Do NOT torture for me

or in my name, or for my safety. I will never condone torture, whether it is mental or physical. I don't know who this government thinks is is representing, but they aren't representing me.

Below is a link to a definition of torture (please note 4th definition):

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/torture

Lieberman and his ilk are ignoring the truth to justify their unAmerican standards.

[Supersedeas]

40. the part about the lungs filling up with water is mostly psychological

[katty]

41. ugh, just go away!!

[JerseygirlCT]

42. The man seriously needs to be institutionalized

He's right off his rocker.

[BlueStater]

44. So psychological damage is okay?

What a fucking asshole. What if somebody dies of a heart attack while being waterboarded? Is it still psychological then?

I say we waterboard him so he'll finally know what the fuck he's talking about.