Bush Directly Authorized Use Of Waterboarding, Still Rejects 'Torture' Classification In New Book

"Damn right."

That's what former president George W. Bush told CIA officials when they came to ask him for permission to waterboard alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed, according to a Washington Post report on the 43rd president's forthcoming book, "Decision Points."

Mohammed supposedly had knowledge of brewing terrorist plots against the United States, and Bush had little reservation about using the practice of simulated drowning on the detainee to extract them.

"I'd do it again to save lives," Bush, who refused to call the interrogation technique "torture" during his presidency, said at a forum earlier this year. He repeats this willingness to use the procedure and maintains that it isn't torture in his book, according to the Post.

President Obama and the current Justice Department have tightened their view on waterboarding, characterizing it as an act of torture that is prohibited by international stricture, and, while the Post reports that there may someday be legal repercussions for those who directly authorized torture, the Obama administration has shown little interest in pursuing action against Bush and others, such as Dick Cheney, who have openly supported and admitted using the interrogation tactic.

Earlier advanced looks at "Decision Points" have also provided insight into the mindset of the former president. According to a sneak peak by the New York Times, Bush considered dumping Cheney as his vice president in 2004 because of his "Darth Vader" image and the common perception that he was the real source of power and decision making in the White House.

Bush also writes that he was heartbroken and repulsed by rapper Kanye West's reaction to his handling of the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe, when he said on live TV that "George Bush doesn't care about black people."

Large segments of the book will also focus on Bush's struggles with alcoholism, his faith and key decisions he made on 9/11, according to a Drudge Report preview.

Comments

[PuffDragon]

04:03 PM on 11/10/2010

There is ZERO Proof that torture and waterboarding has saved even one life.
The US tried and executed Japanese soldiers who performed waterboarding on American soldiers.

An international body of civilized nations, including the US, has unanimously rejected torture of any kind. Torture is illegal under international law, period.

Historically, torture has been most successful in extracting false confessions. Given the number of flagrantly self-incriminating confessions to emerge under Bush/Cheney, it would appear that nothing has changed.

[Keith Owens]

06:57 AM on 11/11/2010

Are you serious???/
Bush did what he had to do for this great country of ours. I am so sick of people criticizing our former president for this...If he had to torture hundreds of terrorists to find Bin Laden,the parties responsible for 911 then so be it. HE DID HIS JOB!!! GOD BLESS AMERICA....

[allengoldchain]

06:28 PM on 11/09/2010

I know that a lot of people on this site might disagree with his authorization of waterboarding but I have to side with Bush with this one. Three individuals waterboarded for the sake and safety of thousands, I'm all for it.

When Obama had a decision to make regarding the Somali pirates. he ordered his snipers to take out three Somali pirates to save the life of the boat's captain. These are decisions that have to be made by our leaders. we are in an environment where action trumps inaction and a message has to be sent to those that think they can put fear to us.

yes I say that and do expect liberals to debate otherwise so feel free to comment but keep it civil.

[Zia]

07:47 PM on 11/08/2010

He is admitting to war-crimes in his book - I mean it is as dumb as it gets. I am sure some Scandinavian countries might even bar him from visiting those countries as they will try him as a war criminal...............

[pinkibus]

04:27 PM on 11/08/2010

The saddest words an American president ever made. Nothing will ever erase them.

[MANOFCOMMONSENSE]

11:16 AM on 11/08/2010

The great thinkers of the Republican Party Bush/Shady??? Waterboarding to protect us from another 911 attack????????????? Lets look at this and you can google it for yourself!! 911 comes and the Republicans want to protect the USA so they send around 15 thousand Troops to Afganistand to hunt down the guy who did 911 Bin laden?? 15 thousand Troops?? How many Troops did we send to Iraq??? ( 150 thousand to Iraq? vs 15 thousand for the guy who did 911??).
Did Bush/Shady get Bin Laden?? No!! Did we get Saddam and his Oil?? Yes!!
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-5855314-503544.html

[Angel R1240]

11:01 PM on 11/07/2010

So can I ask a question when is Obama going to arrest Bush, Cheney for their War Crimes that they admit to more than once. Bush is dumb enough to admit to war crimes in his book that is coming out. If I were president I would arrest Bush, Cheney and try them for their war crimes.

[Twinz48]

10:00 PM on 11/08/2010

I've said it before, "Booksellers should shelve this tome in the True Crime section."

[S K]

09:39 AM on 11/10/2010

That's why you won't be President. Whew..

It'll be a cold day in Hell before Obama does anything stupid like that. That's why he has my vote. He doesn't agree with the past administration's methods and made the necessary changes. That's enough. We need the parties to work on issues - not spend time going after each other every time the administration changes.

[Virgil Kane]

10:02 PM on 11/07/2010

So when will Bush, Cheney, and Yoo be indicted for these crimes? The Obama DOJ has an on the record confession! What more do they need? Why aren't these criminals being held accountable?

[carolina919]

04:16 PM on 11/07/2010

" Bush unveils $50 billion rescue plan for nation's S&Ls." That's Daddy Bush in 1989. The article says it was Daddy Bush's "response to the biggest banking crisis since the government began insuring bank deposits during the Great Depression." You and I helped bail out the country in 1989 under one Bush, and we did it again under the second Bush. How do Republicans get away with pretending to be the guardians of fiscal responsibility? This new crop of Republicans will want less regulation, and they're very good at sound bytes... if we go along with that, it means we still haven't learned what happens when we let the fox guard the henhouse. Democrats need to hire some people who are very good at getting the sound bytes out, and... stand up for more regulation. quoting "Gotsmarte" at Democrats.com

A couple of good "companion reads"...."Bush Family Fortunes", by a real investigative reporter, Greg Palast of the BBC. "Bush Family Fortunes" aired on the BBC in July 2003 and totally exposed how G.W. got into the Texas ANG after scoring an abysmal 25 out of 100 on the Pilot Aptitude Test and detailed the vote corruption that took place with Jeb Bush's help in Florida in 2000.

Family of Secrets: the Bush Dynasty, America's Invisible Government and the Hidden History of the Last Fifty Years Russ Baker, another important investigative reporter wrote this one.

DON'T buy Bush's book. Check it out from the library.

[The Middle Man]

08:37 PM on 11/06/2010

There has been a lot of buzz about former President George W. Bush's new book coming out called Decision Points, and rightfully so since the man influenced 8 years of this Country's history. I am really excited to read and take a good look at this book.
http://themiddleamericanvoice.blogspot.com/

[Lynda Filler]

08:30 PM on 11/06/2010

Over 7200 comments..wow! This man and his politics are hated by the American people. And this past weeks elections gave which party more power????
The definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

[JHKH]

05:37 PM on 11/06/2010

We have a signed confession. Will anyone arrest the war criminal and try him at the Hague?

[Mahi Joe]

05:48 AM on 11/07/2010

Send bush and cheney on a free trip to Spain. I think they have still a warrent out for the arrest of both.

[andyboy]

04:16 PM on 11/06/2010

Men in power will do whatever they believe they can get away with. The men in power in America can get away with virtually anything. Obama disinterest in holding anyone in government accountable is a trait of the entire system. Since Ford pardoned Nixon our government officials have tried to convince us that even though they might do evil and criminal things we don't want to punish anyone for them because it would be embarassing and uncomfortable. It would minimize their "prestige". They have the cake and eat it too! A thing that is thought to be impossible but is showcased by them almost daily. This is the root of concepts like "American Exceptionalism". They might be criminals but darn it they're OUR criminals!

[I AM AN EXIT]

04:10 PM on 11/06/2010

Bush and Cheney are so arrogant. They are practically taunting the justice department to indict them on charges. Well, since they both have admitted to ordering torture, why haven't they been charged?

[andyboy]

04:43 PM on 11/06/2010

Justice is the thing you need but can't have. It's messy. It's embarassing. It requires sacrifice. It bespeaks discipline and fairness. The lack of justice implies there is nothing wrong. Whatever they do. Any crime or abuse of power is waved at in passing, pooh poohed a bit and forgotten. They know this protects all of them.

You become dulled to the point of acceptance. The message is simply this: "We'll do darned well as we please". They know there is no check or balance because the check and the balance is their responsibility. It's called limitless power. It's a recipe for corruption & disaster but it makes things so easy! Ask yourself a question. What does the Justice Dept do? They figure out ways for politicians to get off. They protect the prestige and image of the ruling class from the dents and the dings. Nixon lied. Bush lied. Obama lies. It's patriotic to pretend they don't. Our leaders have the only real freedom in America. Only they merit such favor. No lesson is learned. No ideal valued or upheld only abdicated, tarnished and ultimately thrown away as useless. The Chinese call it saving face. It's the prerequisite to power.

[I AM AN EXIT]

05:06 PM on 11/06/2010

Absolutely hit the nail on the head.

[senatortruth]

11:42 AM on 11/06/2010

gfirmin57

All this impotent rage against a man who protected his country. What a sad lot you all are.
********************************

Actually, he is a TRAITTOR against the USA, like the REST of his family for the last 70 YEARS

and Cheeney as well.

ILLEGAL WARS,

Outing a CIA spy,

Flying the Bin Ludens out on 9/13, when NO ONE ELSE COULD FLY,
so they couldn't be QUESTIONED

And covering up the DEEEAAATTTHHH of Pat Tillman, as well as refusing to go UNDER OATH

or let Rove or Miers go under oath using "executive privilege:

And their ties to the Saudi FINANCIERS of AAAlll QQQeeedddaa.

And YOU are his SUPPORTER in TREEZIN...

What a SAD, pathetic excuse for an "american"

YOU are...

[gfirmin57]

09:20 AM on 11/06/2010

All this impotent rage against a man who protected his country. What a sad lot you all are.

[PlinytheYounger]

10:03 AM on 11/06/2010

"a man who protected his country."

Prove it.

[gfirmin57]

11:04 AM on 11/06/2010

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foiled_Islamic_terrorist_plots_in_the_post-9/11_United_States

[Ohbeewun]

03:20 PM on 11/06/2010

Protected us? Are you effin' kiddng me? Bin Laden didn't NEED to attack us again with that idiot in charge! He is responsible for murdering hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians with his ill considered preemptive war against a country that had nothing to do with 9/11 (as Cheney maintained for years). He bankrupted our country funding this war, and with over a billion dollars unaccounted for. He enriched his cronies and left the rest of us in his dust. Protected us? That SOB should be in prison!!! Study history if you need a definition for torture or treason! We executed Japanese in WWII for less than we did under Bush.