Lieberman Supports Waterboarding: 'It's Not Like Using Hot Coals'

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.

The Senate passed the measure. [...]

"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.

Comments

[AZModerate]

Joe Liberman (R-Obviously)

[Stirner]

The neocon Republicans are pro-torture, and the neocons have displaced the conservatives. Ron Paul, as a conservative Republican, is absolutely opposed to torture, just as he is to the continuation of a stupid war. He is hated by the neocons, and that is the reason he has been, to say the least, "marginalized". The chosen neocon Republican leader is McCain. He He will say and do anything to have the power of the Presidency. He has even changed his mind about torture, as he is willingly accepting the advice of Lieberman. This fellow will try to sink our nation into an endless bloody war. No, not all Republicans are neocons -- but enough to be frightening.