Lieberman backs waterboarding; 'It's not like we're burning people with hot coals' John Byrne

Published: Friday February 15, 2008



|

Print This Email This The onetime Democratic vice presidential running mate who became an independent to fend off a liberal challenger in Connecticut stumped for waterboarding in a conference call with reporters late Thursday, saying it wasn't as bad as burning people with hot coals. "We are at war," Lieberman said. "I know enough from public statements made by Osama bin Laden and others as well as classified information I see to know the terrorists are actively planning, plotting to attack us again. I want our government to be able to gather information again within both the law and Geneva Convention." Lieberman asserted that waterboarding isn't torture because it leaves no "permanent damage." "It is not like putting burning coals on people's bodies. The person is in no real danger. The impact is psychological," Lieberman said. "We have to allow the president to allow the toughest measures to be used when there is an imminent threat to our country," Lieberman added. "If we've got somebody that we think can tell us where a nuclear bomb is planted in an American city, then I want the president to be able to authorize that to be used." The full article, in the Connecticut Post, is available here.



