CIA Director: No More Waterboarding Even If Ordered By Future President

NBC: Director Brennan: CIA Won't Waterboard Again — Even if Ordered by Future President

CIA Director John Brennan told NBC News in an exclusive interview that his agency will not engage in harsh "enhanced interrogation" practices, including waterboarding, which critics call torture — even if ordered to by a future president.

"I will not agree to carry out some of these tactics and techniques I've heard bandied about because this institution needs to endure," Brennan said.

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has said that if elected president, he'd authorize the use of waterboarding which was banned in 2009. Trump said the technique, considered torture under international law, and other methods he characterized as "a hell of a lot worse" would be used to extract information from potential terrorists.

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More News On CIA Director Brennan's Remarks That the CIA Will No Longer Water-board Detainees

CIA director: No waterboarding, even if commanded by future president -- The Hill
CIA chief Brennan would not carry out waterboarding torture for Trump or Cruz -- The Guardian
CIA director: We won't waterboard -- Politico
Brennan: CIA won't waterboard again -- USA Today
John Brennan, CIA director, says the agency will never waterboard again -- Daily Mail
CIA Head Rules Out Bringing Back Waterboarding -- Sputnik

Water-boarding Becomes A U.S. Republican Presidential Election Issue

The Hill: McCain doubles down on waterboarding criticism

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) doubled down Tuesday on his criticism of Republican presidential candidates who support waterboarding, as the 2016 field battles for a win in the New Hampshire primary.

"It's been so disappointing to see some presidential candidates engage in loose talk on the campaign trail about reviving waterboarding and other inhumane interrogation techniques. It might be easy to dismiss this rhetoric, but these statement must not go unanswered," McCain said.

His comments come after he disavowed statements from presidential candidates — including front-runner Donald Trump — earlier this week.

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Update #1: Spy chief: Waterboarding against American values (The Hill)
Update #2: Donald Trump’s Son Compares Waterboarding to Frat Parties (Time)

WNU Editor: We have not heard the last on this issue.

President Bush's Claims On Water Boarding Receives Criticism And Condemnation

George Bush Condemned For Justifying Use Of Waterboarding -- The Telegraph

George Bush is facing international condemnation after claiming that British lives were saved as a result of torture.

The former US president has claimed that waterboarding three al Qaida suspects provided crucial intelligence that prevented attacks on London.

But critics said use of the controversial technique acted as a "recruiting sergeant for extremism" and ultimately "made the world a more dangerous place".

And they questioned the value of information gathered as a result of torture.

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More News On President Bush's Comments On Water Boarding, And Reaction To It

Senior Blair figures question George W Bush waterboarding claims -- The Telegraph
George Bush could face arrest over sanctioning torture, says leading human rights lawyer -- The Daily News
George W Bush memoirs spark international outrage over defence of torture -- Mirror
George W Bush memoirs: terror suspect 'welcomed waterboarding' -- The Telegraph
British deny George Bush's claims that torture helped foil terror plots -- The Guardian
Bush under fire over waterboarding claims -- AFP
Britain 'will act on torture intelligence' -- The Telegraph
Does torture save lives? -- Krupa Thakrar Padhy, The BBC
Q&A: Waterboarding -- BBC

No Charges Against CIA Officials For Waterboarding

From Yahoo News/AP:

WASHINGTON – Seeking to move beyond what he calls a "a dark and painful chapter in our history," President Barack Obama said Thursday that CIA officials who used harsh interrogation tactics during the Bush administration will not be prosecuted.

The government also released four memos long held secret by the Bush administration in which its lawyers approved in extensive and often graphic detail the tough interrogation methods used against 28 terror suspects, the fullest and now complete government accounting of the techniques. The rough tactics range from waterboarding — simulated drowning — to using a plastic neck collar to slam detainees into walls.

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More News On The CIA

Obama Rules Out Charging C.I.A. Agents in Interrogations -- New York Times
Obama: No Charges Against CIA Officials for Harsh Treatment of Detainees -- Voice Of America
Obama Releases Torture Memos, Vows Not to Prosecute -- Wired News
FACTBOX: Waterboarding and other interrogation methods -- Reuters
Did Obama/Holder Really Grant Immunity? -- The Atlantic