Obama defends release of Bush-era memos during visit to CIA

Obama. What a disaster.

That´s why I support Obama: after 8 years of lies, he is a man who is telling the truth. Is it inconvenient? it is, surely. I think every American feels ashamed of having a President who lied for 8 straight years, and even so always had high popular approvation ratings. I feel comforted that this administration is saying, yes, we made horrible mistakes, let´s face it and move on. That´s what grown-ups do.

So does a couple of times mean over 200. Really what legitimate information could you get from someone tortured almost 200 times. By the 5th or 6th time im sure he was singing any song they wanted to hear.

Funny a lot of the rightnuts here get all bent when a suspect is confined and confesses in japan but when dubya does it, its just fine and dandy.

DXXJP: By the 5th or 6th time im sure he was singing any song they wanted to hear.

You're probably talking about a confession, but if the question is, "Provide a list of people that you work with" then saying anything they want to hear would be pretty productive.

when a suspect is confined and confesses in japan

Surely you aren't comparing the treatment of an English teacher in Japan to the 9/11 mastermind. And besides, what Japan does sometimes falls under the strict interpretation of the word "torture," especially the sleep deprivation or extended interrogations. My point is that the word gets thrown around so much that suddenly ripping off toenails gets thrown in with a 12-hour Q & S session. That's a mistake the radical left is making, in my opinion. Their personal dislike for Bush is causing the word "torture" to lose all meaning.

The memos detailed the use of waterboarding — a form of simulated drowning that Attorney General Eric Holder has denounced as torture — as well as sleep deprivation, isolation and physical violence.

The only thing I really have a problem with is the physical violence, which isn't really being detailed too much in any of the articles that I've read.

DXXJP: By the 5th or 6th time im sure he was singing any song they wanted to hear."

And they would do the same if you promised them goodies too.. So, we got a problem. Unless you are concerned about getting those responsible for actions like 9-11, you need to put a better solution. Since we are only talking about torturing Muslims, why don't we go back and release all the info on torture to all wars back to the Civil War. If we weren't torturing Muslims, I don't think we would hear a peep. The CIA simulated drowning, while others just drowned their captives.

Our enemies have cut off heads, posted them on the internet, and yet, you want to extend a hand out to them but you are willing to set GWB on fire if not put him in front of a firing squad.

Good for Obama.

So Sheik Khalid Mohammed was waterboarded 200 times, which he survived without a scratch, except for hurt pride and squealing a lot about Al Quaeda info he had.

Daniel Pearl on the other hand, had his head saw off only once by the noble Sheik Khalid Mohammed. Only once.

So, what are we all in a huff about? The torture of the poor, innocent Sheik Khalid Mohammed, of course. Daniel Pearl? Not worth a thought.

Say hello to politically correct logic.

Waterboarded 183 times and 83 times. Of course former officials oppose the release of the memos, they know they come out looking like idiots. It would have made for a great Monty Python sketch though - Muhammed -"Wait, wait, I've got some information for you". CIA - "Why didn't you tell us this information during the first 182 times we waterboarded you?" Muhammed - "Uh, I guess it slipped my mind! Completely forgot about it till now!"

What a joke.

Do the Canadians here calling these measures a joke have info on how the young Canadian jihadi Omar Khadr was treated? Or are Canada's limits on free speech still in effect?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omar_Khadr

GJDailleult:

" Of course former officials oppose the release of the memos, they know they come out looking like idiots "

Actually, Cheney is calling for the follow-up memos to be released too, detailing the information gained from Khalid Mohammed. That would complete the picture and put the accusations of pointless torture into context.

However, the Obama administration wants to keep those secret, preferring to maintain the false argument that no information was gained.

No, who is looking like a gullible idiot?

teleprompter: "Do the Canadians here calling these measures a joke have info on how the young Canadian jihadi Omar Khadr was treated? Or are Canada's limits on free speech still in effect?"

I was under the impression that this thread was about Obama defending his release of the Bush-era memos, not about people angry that non-Americans have more objective opinions than the few remaining die-hard bush fans.

Obama defends release of CIA memos, but not one major military or intelligence figure will do so.

Amazing how people can say he is endangering the CIA. That's an oxymoron. This outfit lied the country into a nasty war. How many Americans died for the CIA'S lies?

Good example for future,with Bush era memos release.

This is promoting clean and corruption free future government.

The Nixon era watergate scandal exposures, was move to clean and corruption free govt.

Even Obama era memos will and can be released, when he leaves office in the future via this example.

Good precedent for future better governance in USA.

Hmmmmm, you mean after the first 50 times they didn't learn any good infor mation so they went for another 133 times. And they got what from them..... please tell me what they learned from all the waterboarding?

Nada... nothing... nil... < :-)

daydream:

" please tell me what they learned from all the waterboarding? Nada... nothing... nil... < :-) "

And you know that .... because? You imagine so.

Cheney is asking Obama to release precisely that information, to put things into context. But Obama refuses; he needs his gullible supporters.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/04/20/updated_cheney_calls_on_obama_to_release_torture_memos.html

So tell me what was learned WilliB. Since the republicans learned so much from these torture sessions, what did they learn? Tell us democrats what was gleamed from this torture. < :-)

Obama wants all Americans to feel sorry for these terrorists.

Good luck with that.

waterboarding was used on alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Muhammed 183 times

This POS's got 2,817 times to go.

"Obama wants all Americans to feel sorry for these terrorists. Good luck with that."

It just hurts some people so much that there is no more denying their former president and hero was not only a liar, but a liar that got them mired in at least one unnecessary war, and engaged in torture and practices that put it on par with "the terr'sts"! What's even more bothersome for them, though, is the fact that they now have a president who lives up to his word, and is releasing to the public the lies the former president made to fulfill his promise of cleaning up where bush not only broke his promise but made things worse.

A sad day for those very few remaining bush supporters when their current president proves beyond the shadow of a doubt he is the superior president, and has the majority of people supporting him (instead of 10% or so like their hero).

Cheney is asking Obama to release precisely that information, to put things into context. But Obama refuses; he needs his gullible supporters."

Well, they show put that out as well, it does make you think a little. Aday, if proven vital info was passed, would you change your stance?

"Suspected al-Qaida logistics chief Abu Zubaydah was subjected to the treatment 83 times in August 2002."

Torture simply doesn't work. If Zubaydah wasn't going to crack after the first 10 times, 15, or twenty times of simulated drowning, what could possibly have convinced his handlers that he'd break on the eighty-third ? It sounds an awful lot like the torture was used punitively, rather than as a method for extracting information.

Cheney has called his bluff. Obama is politicizing national itelligence.

This is unprecedented.

Four different former CIA chiefs, Clinton appointees among them, warned against disclosing any details of our detention programs.

The 'liberal' media that got this clown elected needs to resign, en masse.

Cheney, the VP who had an 8% approval rating, has called no such bluff. If any of the information gleaned from these dubious methods is actually correct and useful in fighting terrorism, I can hardly see it in the best interests of US national security to release it.

But then again, Bush Co didn't seem to care about treason if it advanced their political aganda, as we saw with the revenge outing of Valerie Plame.

Uh, yes, Cheney did call Obama's bluff:

Read, weep, gnash teeth, change subject, wave hands in other guy's face.

You know the drill.

CHENEY:

"One of the things that I find a little bit disturbing about this recent disclosure is they put out the legal memos, the memos that the CIA got from the Office of Legal Counsel, but they didn't put out the memos that showed the success of the effort. And there are reports that show specifically what we gained as a result of this activity. They have not been declassified."

"I formally asked that they be declassified now. I haven't announced this up until now, I haven't talked about it, but I know specifically of reports that I read, that I saw that lay out what we learned through the interrogation process and what the consequences were for the country."

(via Drudge)

Desk-jockey/cocktail party agent Valerie Plame was 'outed' by Obama supporter Colin Powell's buddy, Dick Armitage.

He admitted this,way back in 2006.

"Shrieky, right wing" CBS carried the story.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/07/eveningnews/main1981433.shtml

Armitage On CIA Leak: 'I Screwed Up' CBS Exclusive: Interview With Man Who 'Outed' CIA Agent Valerie Plame

waterboarding was used on ... Khalid Sheik Muhammed 183 times.... Abu Zubaydah was subjected to the treatment 83 times

These scumbags have probably cut off more heads than that

Sounds like Cheney needs to be waterboarded so that we can find out what he knows.

DXXJP at 09:48 AM JST - 21st April

So does a couple of times mean over 200.

What does that say about when they say light casulties during engagements?

And torture and war are as american as apple pie!

To the leftist foreigners who're defending these terrorists, being waterboarded (and living to see another day) is much worse than jumping out of a window from the 100th floor with your skin on fire.

Not one major military figure or member of the intelligence community has defended Obama (and puppetmaster Axelrod) on this dangerously idiotic - even by modern Democrat Party standards - dereliction of constitutional duty by our putative Commander in Chief.

TexasAggie

To the leftist foreigners who're defending these terrorists, being waterboarded (and living to see another day) is much worse than jumping out of a window from the 100th floor with your skin on fire.

You should learn something from these same foreigners, including me. The way we see what the whole situation, Bush and his friends are as criminals, or even more, than the cited terrorists. From most of our point of view, the terrorists acted on supreme anger/despair for the Palestina cause, against two of their greater enemies: Israel who stole thie lands, and US who keeps sponsoring Israel no matter what. On the other hand, Bush acted out of pure lies and arrogance. His actions were based on lies/bullying. So to any human being, anger and despair are morally more acceptable than lies and bullying.

Moderator: Readers, please stay on topic and do not post inflammatory remarks. The subject is the release of the memos.

To the leftist foreigners who're defending these terrorists, being waterboarded (and living to see another day) is much worse than jumping out of a window from the 100th floor with your skin on fire.

You could argue that these men are innocent until proven guilty, and you could also argue that 9/11 was an inside job.

"To the leftist foreigners who're defending these terrorists..."

Oh! here we go!! "If you're not American you have no say" gets started! Always the bottom of the barrel in terms of defense, and always humourous in light of the fact that people are posting such drivel on a Japan site.

Wow... the Righties are really in a tizzy about this.

Heh, Cheney's reputation, and approval rating speaks for itself, my boy.

I'm not surprised to see you itching for US national security to be compromised to appease cheny's ego and suit your radical political agenda....

As many top US commanders agree, confessions through torture give dubious information.

But let's not let that get in the way of an "I hate Obama and can't get over the election defeat" froth-fest, shall we?

waterboarding was used on alledged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Muhammed 183 times

3,000 families wish their loved ones were only water boarded.

When/if, the number of times that animal is/was 'tortured' reaches 3,000, let me know. Until then, tough.

When/if, the number of times that animal is/was 'tortured' reaches 3,000, let me know. Until then, tough."

statement of the year!

Moderator: All readers, back on topic please.

Cheney is right on this one, release all the memos. Of course Cheney says that this will allow the "positive" results of "interrogation" to be made public. I would say that torture has no positive result and anybody involved should face a military court. Including the people who gave the orders, Dick. The memos will let us know who was working with you.

skipthesong

Aday, if proven vital info was passed, would you change your stance?

Yes I would because I was taught to uphold certain things. Along with the The United States Military Code of Conduct that we personally have to follow we also have to treat our prisoners humanely.

It's not something that that you decide how to act after the war has started, it's how we treat our prisoners and how we expect to be treated.

Over the years we have learned both through war and in our civil judicial system, torture doesn't work. If they are going to give up information they are aware of, the techniques we already have work. But torture doesn't get better results.

But skipthesong, how far are you willing to go. Remember...what you do to others will come home. Guarenteed.

But looking back into history, do you approve the treatment given to US POWs in the hands of the Japanese or Germans during WWII? Is that what you call humane treatment? < :-)

Excuse me skipthesong, I wouldn't change my stance... < :-)

Obama said that upholding American values and ideals in the face of those enemies is “what makes the United States special and what makes you special.”

Sounds like Obama is doing his best to impersonate Dana Carvey doing the Church Lady. At least he has one aspect down pat: Hypocrisy.