The White House termed waterboarding, a widely condemned interrogation technique, as legal and could use it in the future if the situation demands. This stunning announcement has kicked off a debate that would encompass all sectors of the American society. White House spokesman Tony Fratto said that waterboarding would be used on suspects and prisoners ‘under special circumstances.’ The fact is the harsh interrogation methods of the CIA have been widely criticized, yet Washington feels those harsh methods are absolute necessities in the interests of national security. But many disagree including the CIA director Lt. Gen. Michael Hayden who has voiced his disapproval of waterboarding as an interrogation technique.
Waterboading is a technique historically used in battles and prisons in which a prisoner is strapped and a cloth is placed over his face. After that water is poured on to the victim’s covered face which arouses a sensation of drowning. Various international and human rights laws have forbidden the cruel practice over the years. In America too, the Congress had outlawed waterboarding until September eleventh, 2001, when CIA operatives and security officials got permission to use coercive tactics to make Al Qaeda operatives speak up about terror plans inside the country. But things have changed seven years on with human rights groups demanding investigation into the American Justice Department’s role in authorizing harsh interrogation methods over this period, particularly during the years 2002 and 2003.
According to CIA chief Michael Hayden, waterboarding was legal when it was used against Al Qaeda detainees during the years 2002 and 2003, although it is legally questionable now. Lt. Gen. Hayden was quoted as saying:
It is not included in the current program, and in my own view, the view of my lawyers and the Department of Justice, it is not certain that that technique would be considered to be lawful under current statute. All the techniques that we have used earlier have been deemed to be lawful.
The people who support waterboarding argue that it is one of the most efficient methods of making suspects talk as it does not involve physical injuries although mentally pretty unpleasant. The debate would now go on for a long time, as the White House has made it clear of using waterboarding in future interrogations. The Democrats seem to be most unhappy with the statement and it would not be a surprise if the controversial topic makes way into the American Presidential Election campaign this year.
Source Link: Latimes
Image Link: Washingtonpost
