Typical horse-puck nonsense from this admin. Cheney seems to think waterboarding isn't torture simply because he *says* it isn't torture. Hey, maybe he'll let me shove bamboo slivers up under his fingernails so long as I tell him that it's a manicure.

Correction on one point:
the exclusion of this type of technique from use by military personnel does not necessarily mean they are using contractors for it.
I wonder if even GWB is so insane as to miss the implications of training mercenaries in torture techniques that could be used against Americans as well as Iraqis.

In Vietnam and Central America, the CIA and other nonmilitary intelligence agencies handled most of the torture and execution of prisoners, and I suspect this is true today as well. Remember that part of the impetus for the recent torture bill was from CIA officers who requested more specific rules.

"And I think the WITCHRAFT threat, for example, with respect to our ability to ROOT OUT AND IDENTIFY WITCHES, that's been a very important tool that we've had to be able to FIND OUT WHO'S BEEN CURSING OUR LIVESTOCK."

The time for an experiment is in order. Dick Cheney ought to be brought in before Congress nude with his hands tied behind back so tight that he's bleeding and a bag over his head and tied tight around his neck but still allowing him to breath. He is then then punched in solar plexus, when he doubles over to get air he is then dunked into a bucket of water and his head held under water for 30 seconds and as soon as he comes to the surface he is hit in the solar plexus and held under water for 45 seconds. When he comes up this time he is then asked “laughingly” whether he considers this torture, if answers no or any answer other than yes he gets punched in the mouth and nose just hard enough to induce bleeding, punched in the solar plexus and held under water for one minute. He is then asked again, “Vice President Cheney, do you consider this torture”. He is given 15 seconds to respond before repeating the drill of 30 seconds, punch, 45 seconds, question, punch, punch, punch, 1 minute, question, 15 seconds, and start again until he says yes or 1 hour passes. If during the process he is required to have medical assistance due to water in the lungs or because his heart gives out or if he responds yes, then it can be called legitimately “torture” and is banned for all eternity, but if he manages to hold out for an hour, then it is called a “tough interrogation technique”. I believe that in the case of Dick Cheney he would manage max 10 minutes without the punching otherwise he would crack after the 1st one minute underwater in which case he would start breathing in water and choking on his own blood and would in fact be technically drowning. In fact ever one from Congress who has given their consent to this kind of activity ought to perform this experiment on TV live, just to show their solidarity with water boarding and reveal to the American public that Congress whole heartedly endorses this the kind of activity and that they also think that parents should use it on their own children when they “want the truth”, because it isn't torture, not really and is perfectly acceptable to the US government—tested live on our society's finest leaders. I mean once it's said that it isn't torture then of course everyone can do it. That is a real no-brainer! Perhaps even various electrocution devices (Presidentially and Congressionally Certified) and lots of other goodies could be marketed as “You got problems getting the truth from family members?” well we've got just the thing. Imagine courtrooms, “But your honor I did not torture my wife, I only water boarded her and now I know she didn't have an affair.” The loving American family, the “freedom loving” society of America. It's not torture but a way to the truth. Yahoo!!! That's the kind of society I want to live in, don't you?

Torture starts with being detained without charge! To be held in confinement indefinitely without charge nor any possibility to due process or trail by jury is torture and it is because of the use of this kind of activity against our forefathers some 230 years ago that it was made illegal in the US. The right to know why you are being held and to either be charged with a crime or set free as well as the right to contest the alleged crime in a court of law are fundamental concepts in our society and those who abuse these concepts are themselves criminals.

A..........Men, Jeff!