White House Says Torture is Legal

From the Los Angeles Times:

The White House said Wednesday that the widely condemned interrogation technique known as waterboarding is legal and that President Bush could authorize the CIA to resume using the simulated-drowning method under extraordinary circumstances.

The surprise assertion from the Bush administration reopened a debate that many in Washington had considered closed. Two laws passed by Congress in recent years -- as well as a Supreme Court ruling on the treatment of detainees -- were widely interpreted to have banned the CIA's use of the extreme interrogation method.

But in remarks that were greeted with disbelief by some members of Congress and human rights groups, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said that waterboarding was a legal technique that could be employed again "under certain circumstances."

Here's what Republican Candidate John McCain has to say about waterboarding:

In a recent GOP presidential debate, McCain said it was inconceivable that "anyone could believe that [waterboarding is] not torture. It's in violation of the Geneva Convention. It's in violation of existing law."

Hillary and Obama have said the same. But we have a president who believes that with the stroke of his signing pen he is above the law. It is inconceivable to me that lying about sex is an impeachable offense but brazenly breaking the law of the land regarding torture is not. Clinton brought disgrace upon himself. Bush has brought disgrace on everything this country stands for.