I thought the entire discussion was truly inadequate to the subject.

This is a case where there is no grey area:
Waterboarding is Torture. It has been acknowledged as a tool for torturing false confessions from people (guilty or innocent) since at least the Inquisition. We (the USA) have defined waterboard as torture in our laws, by signing the Geneva conventions which outlaw it, and by including a ban on water torture in all the published US Army service manuals. In addition to convicting Japanese soldiers for waterboarding US troops, we have (THE USA) actually tried US soldiers during Vietnam for waterboarding prisoners in their control. The list of evidence is long and easily accessible. Google "Waterboarding and Torture"

Why do you use these desperate euphemisms, like "enhanced interrogation" (this is an exact translation of term the Gestapo used to coverup their torture) or "harsh techniques" Plain language, custom and US law all define this as torture. Why can't you speak plainly, to use euphemisms is to willingly or not collude in the coverup of what we're talking about.
Truth is an absolute defense against libel in this country (at least for now)
http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/2007/10/waterboarding-is-torture-perio/
http://www.lawofwar.org/what's_new.htm

Finally, this is a case where we would do well to consider Nietzsche's well-known aphorism:
"If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you"

No, they should not have been destroyed. I am very disappointded by not surprised by the comments made by people calling in about using torture against other people. Americans need to realize that they are not the kings of the world, and that everyone has rights. We are talking about alleged terrorist, not acutal proven terrorists. Most of these people were kidnapped from their countries based on cia beliefs of their guilt, not actual proven guilt.None of these people were caught "red handed" and alot have been released because they were of no value to the US (in other word, innocent).
american values seems to only apply to themselves, there was/is a time when they thought it was ok to intern Italians & Japanese. I think they have not changed, and until they realize their place in the world and learn how to get along with others better, we will continue to be targets. the US government needs to stop playing Emperor.

I'm most worried that there are more people like that wack job lady that just called. Ignorant people with no understanding of how our civil liberties are being stripped from American citizens.... can't wait to see how next year's election will work out - hopefully she is in the minority!!

wow... Kay who just called in is a scary person.

I would be willing to bet that she would have a different perspective if she had a son or daughter fighting in iraq.

if we condone torture in any respect, then we ourselves have become the terrorists.

wire taps, torture, where does it stop?

It's my understanding that the people being interrogated hadn't been tried and found guilty of anything. That means that interrogators are potentially torturing potentially innocent people. In my view, that is completely contradictory to the values that this country was founded on.

Why would a person assume that the person being detained is willing to cut our throats? It goes to show that the very values represented by our constitution are misunderstood by people on a widescale. If we assume the guilt of a foreignor how far a stretch is it to start assuming the guild of American citizens?

it this a new low point in our history or have things ever been worse?

Oh my god, that caller is a freakin NIGHTMARE! SHe's the voice of the future, I tell you!!!

We are talking about SUSPECTED terrorists. Some of these people might not have been terrorists at all. Why are we assuming that just because people are being held they are guilty!

The U.S. has revisited its World War II violations.
It declared the internment of the Japanese Americans as serious error and paid reparations.
More recently it reversed the sentenses of the Black soldiers convicted of mutiny.
Now that waterboading is be consided necessary in certain cases, should we reconsider the war crime convictions of the Japanese who used it.

"These people"....yeesh, I bet that woman touts herself as a "Christian"

The question of destroying tapes and whether waterboarding is torture is ridiculous.
We have a constitution and the courts said that the tapes should not be destroyed, so they shouldn't be destroyed. All public employees are supposed to uphold the constitution.

Additionally, during the Inquisition waterboarding was called torture. Also, it is my understanding that we executed Japanese after WWII for waterboarding American POW's

Or maybe YOU just reminded them to do the hard drive erase!?

waterboarding is torture, it causes brain damage, strokes, heart attacks, scaring of the lungs, anuerismism, broken bones and death. Why do you not report this and question anyone who says its not torutre with these facts please do your job

Protecting the identity of the interrogator!!?? Brian, haven't you ever seen the "blurry dot?"

I believe that our government SHOULDN'T BE DOING ANYTHING WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF!!!! It shouldn't have to destroy the evidence of ANYTHING! (The same applies to "executive privilege" btw -- I don't want my government doing anything it can't explain to it's citizen within a reasonable amount of time.)

On a related topic:
I'd like to see Mukasey water-boarded to help him decide whether or not it's torture.

#1 this is a cover up of Torture
#2 the interogators' faces can be blacked so their identity can be presevered
#3 If these get out the American Image will be tarnished - It can't any worse than it is right now - Invading Iraq - Abu Grab - the list goes on

A cover up A cover up A cover up