While We're On The Subject ...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The CIA used a widely condemned interrogation technique known as waterboarding on three suspects captured after the September 11 attacks, CIA Director Michael Hayden told Congress on Tuesday.

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Those subjected to waterboarding were suspected September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and senior al Qaeda leaders Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, Hayden said at the hearing on threats to the United States.

He said waterboarding has not been used in five years.

I guess that's something. On the other hand, they've been saying 'we don't torture' for all this time, so why should we believe him?

Particularly since he was telling Congress this as part of an effort to prevent legislation forcing the CIA to follow the Army Field Manual, which specifically prohibits the technique.

Hayden said fewer than 100 people had been held in the CIA's terrorism detention and interrogation program launched after the September 11 attacks, with fewer than one-third of them subjected to any harsh interrogation techniques.

But applying the field manual's limitations to the CIA, he said, "would substantially increase the danger to America."

The CIA is the only U.S. agency that uses harsh interrogation techniques, National Intelligence Director Michael McConnell told the hearing. The entire military adheres to the Army Field Manual and FBI Director Robert Mueller told the hearing his agency does not use coercive techniques.

Isn't this is a bit like a bank robber telling the judge, "Yeah, well, sure, I did rob some banks a few years ago, but those were different times. I needed the money. I haven't robbed anything in, well, gosh, nearly five years. So, no need to worry about that. Though, you know, it would substantially increase the danger to my creditors if I were to be, like, ordered not to rob again. You never know, right?"

Give me a break. These guys should be in jail.