This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/apr/11/cia-john-brennan-waterboarding-republican-president-trump-cruz
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| CIA chief Brennan would not carry out waterboarding torture for Trump or Cruz | CIA chief Brennan would not carry out waterboarding torture for Trump or Cruz |
| (5 months later) | |
| A future president Trump or Cruz could be defied by his own intelligence chief, after CIA director John Brennan said on Sunday he would not allow members of his agency to carry out torture techniques such as waterboarding. | A future president Trump or Cruz could be defied by his own intelligence chief, after CIA director John Brennan said on Sunday he would not allow members of his agency to carry out torture techniques such as waterboarding. |
| “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 told NBC News. | “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 told NBC News. |
| Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, the leading two Republican candidates in a field of three, have suggested they would use waterboarding and other controversial “enhanced interrogation techniques” against terror suspects. | Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, the leading two Republican candidates in a field of three, have suggested they would use waterboarding and other controversial “enhanced interrogation techniques” against terror suspects. |
| Cruz has said he does not consider waterboarding to be torture, and would “use whatever enhanced interrogation methods we could to keep this country safe”. | Cruz has said he does not consider waterboarding to be torture, and would “use whatever enhanced interrogation methods we could to keep this country safe”. |
| In the aftermath of the Brussels bombings last month, Trump told NBC: “If they could expand the laws, I would do a lot more than waterboarding. You have to get the information from people.” | In the aftermath of the Brussels bombings last month, Trump told NBC: “If they could expand the laws, I would do a lot more than waterboarding. You have to get the information from people.” |
| The third remaining candidate, John Kasich, has equivocated on the issue. Other Republicans who have now dropped out of the race endorsed or refused to rule out the use of torture. | The third remaining candidate, John Kasich, has equivocated on the issue. Other Republicans who have now dropped out of the race endorsed or refused to rule out the use of torture. |
| The two Democratic candidates for president, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders, have condemned the use of torture. | The two Democratic candidates for president, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders, have condemned the use of torture. |
| In his NBC News interview on Sunday, Brennan was asked specifically about waterboarding. | In his NBC News interview on Sunday, Brennan was asked specifically about waterboarding. |
| “Absolutely,” he said. “I would not agree to having any CIA officer carrying out waterboarding again.” | “Absolutely,” he said. “I would not agree to having any CIA officer carrying out waterboarding again.” |
| In January 2009, one of Barack Obama’s first acts as president was to issue an executive order banning the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, which also included, among other methods, rectal feeding and hydration, sleep deprivation and sexual humiliation. Such techniques were allowed under the Bush administration after the terror attacks of 11 September 2001. | In January 2009, one of Barack Obama’s first acts as president was to issue an executive order banning the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, which also included, among other methods, rectal feeding and hydration, sleep deprivation and sexual humiliation. Such techniques were allowed under the Bush administration after the terror attacks of 11 September 2001. |
| Brennan took charge of the CIA in 2013. In December 2014, a Senate intelligence committee report issued a damning indictment of the use of such practices by the agency. | Brennan took charge of the CIA in 2013. In December 2014, a Senate intelligence committee report issued a damning indictment of the use of such practices by the agency. |
| In the aftermath of the release of the torture report, Brennan defended the agency, saying: “Our reviews indicate that the detention and interrogation program produced useful intelligence that helped the United States thwart attack plans, capture terrorists and save lives.” | In the aftermath of the release of the torture report, Brennan defended the agency, saying: “Our reviews indicate that the detention and interrogation program produced useful intelligence that helped the United States thwart attack plans, capture terrorists and save lives.” |
| He added, however, that it was not certain enhanced interrogation techniques, or EITs, produced better results than more humane methods. | He added, however, that it was not certain enhanced interrogation techniques, or EITs, produced better results than more humane methods. |
| “The cause-and-effect relationship between the use of EITs and useful information subsequently provided by the detainee is, in my view, unknowable,” he said. | “The cause-and-effect relationship between the use of EITs and useful information subsequently provided by the detainee is, in my view, unknowable,” he said. |
| In June 2015, a torture ban was passed into law in the Senate – against the opposition of 21 Republicans. | In June 2015, a torture ban was passed into law in the Senate – against the opposition of 21 Republicans. |
| Waterboarding has assumed a representative status in the discussion of torture whether by proponents, like Trump and Cruz, or opponents. | Waterboarding has assumed a representative status in the discussion of torture whether by proponents, like Trump and Cruz, or opponents. |
| The late journalist Christopher Hitchens, for example, had himself subjected to the practice for a Vanity Fair article. Famously, he wrote: “If waterboarding does not constitute torture, then there is no such thing as torture.” | The late journalist Christopher Hitchens, for example, had himself subjected to the practice for a Vanity Fair article. Famously, he wrote: “If waterboarding does not constitute torture, then there is no such thing as torture.” |