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Cheney: I OK'd Waterboarding

VP gave go ahead for 'remarkably successful' tactic

By Peter Fearon, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 16, 2008 4:00 AM CST

(Newser) – Vice President Dick Cheney personally approved using waterboarding to interrogate 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, he reveals in a wide-ranging interview on ABC News. "I was involved in helping get the process cleared. The agency came in and wanted to know what they could and couldn't do," said Cheney, referring to waterboarding and other controversial interrogation techniques. "They talked to me to explain what they wanted to do. And I supported it."

He called the interrogations a "remarkably successful effort" with results that "speak for themselves." Asked specifically if he thought waterboarding was "appropriate," he responded: "I do." Yet, he added, "On the question of so-called torture, we don't do torture." The vice president also defends the invasion of Iraq, and supports continuing to operate the Guantanamo Bay detention facilities to keep terrorists off the battlefield.

[Images (2)]

[Videos (1)]

Vice President Dick Cheney has admitted he personally approved waterboarding al-Qaeda suspects. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Dick Cheney says the detention center at Guantanamo Bay should remain open. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

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Vice President Richard Cheney tells ABC News the Guantanamo detention center should remain open indefinitely and defends the use of waterboarding on terror suspects. (thenewsoftheworlds)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 9 comments

Guest

Jun 2, 2009 3:30 AM CDT

We certainly don't want to forget all the nameless, faceless people in the background giving these dolts high fives.. Limbough, Hannity, O'reilly all come to mind, for not having minds.

Guest

Jun 2, 2009 3:28 AM CDT

Cheney being the living breathing fire behind everything gone wrong can try to brainwash his grandchildren while they are not smart enough to call him a liar.. Nice legacy to leave the Bush administration Mr Vice President.

Greatbear100

Dec 20, 2008 5:47 AM CST

It is obvious Bush and his administration authorized torture and other violations of the Geneva Convention and international law as well as violating our own constituiton yet to date no action has been taken against anyone. The Republicans tried to impeach Clinton over a private issue while the Congress has stood by the last 8 years and let the Bush administration do whatever it pleased. Bush has repeatedly tried to get a law passed exempting his staff and himself from being chraged with any crimes after he leaves office. If there is any justice Bush and his gang will be prosecuted for war crimes. It is amazing the Congress hasnt even reprimanded Bush and his co conspirators and has sat silent while our freedoms have been swept away.

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Politics • World

Iraq • Saddam Hussein • Dick Cheney • torture • Karl Rove • Guantanamo Bay • Khalid Sheikh Mohammed • interrogation • WMD • Guantanamo prisoners • waterboarding • weapons of mass destruction • George W. Bush

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Cheney: I OK'd Waterboarding