DOJ experienced Waterboarding---then said it was torture, then WH shut him up:

I almost passed this headline by:



Forum Name Latest Breaking News
Topic subject Bush Administration Blocked Waterboarding Critic
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3052537#3052537
3052537, Bush Administration Blocked Waterboarding Critic
Posted by sabra on Fri Nov-02-07 09:20 PM

Source: ABC News

Former DOJ Official Tested the Method Himself, in Effort to Form Torture Policy

A senior Justice Department official, charged with reworking the administration's legal position on torture in 2004 became so concerned about the controversial interrogation technique of waterboarding that he decided to experience it firsthand, sources told ABC News.

Daniel Levin, then acting assistant attorney general, went to a military base near Washington and underwent the procedure to inform his analysis of different interrogation techniques.

After the experience, Levin told White House officials that even though he knew he wouldn't die, he found the experience terrifying and thought that it clearly simulated drowning.

Levin, who refused to comment for this story, concluded waterboarding could be illegal torture unless performed in a highly limited way and with close supervision. And, sources told ABC News, he believed the Bush Administration had failed to offer clear guidelines for its use.

...

In December 2004, Levin released the new memo. He said, "Torture is abhorrent" but he went on to say in a footnote that the memo was not declaring the administration's previous opinions illegal. The White House, with Alberto Gonzales as the White House counsel, insisted that this footnote be included in the memo.

But Levin never finished a second memo imposing tighter controls on the specific interrogation techniques. Sources said he was forced out of the Justice Department when Gonzales became attorney general.




Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/DOJ/story?id=3814076&page=1

What's scary isn't what he said but what he couldn't say. This is just one of many techniques that have been employed and said that the ones that were rejected were so draconian it wasn't just unconstitutional, it was so inhumane that it easily would constitute a violation of the Geneva Treaty and several other human rights treaties.

It's the typical crashcart way of things...he has a predetermined position and its up to the various executive departments to justify it. It doesn't matter if the intel is bogus or the laws are unconstituional..."get 'er done". These war criminals will have their due.

the devil himself with his demon minion
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article3943.htm

state dept
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/27873.htm

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/05/01/MNGE5CI9MO1.DTL

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,963497,00.html

http://polizeros.com/category/uzbekistan-torture/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1146979,00.html