McCain said Torture violated law and helped the terrorists...

Quote :

In a strong pushback against claims made by former Vice President Dick Cheney, Sen. John McCain insisted on Sunday that the use of torture on terrorism suspects violated international law, didn't work, and actually helped al Qaeda recruit additional members.

"I think the interrogations were in violation of the Geneva Conventions and the convention against torture that we ratified under President Reagan," said the Arizona Republican. "I think these interrogations, once publicized, helped al Qaeda recruit. I got that from an al Qaeda operative in a prison camp in Iraq... I think that the ability of us to work with our allies was harmed. And I believe that information, according go the FBI and others, could have been gained through other members."

The senator, appearing on CBS' Face the Nation, offered his assessment just hours after Cheney defended the use of torture during an interview with Fox News Sunday. Host Bob Schieffer pushed McCain to explain how it was that an al Qaeda member had told him that the use of torture helped them recruit.

Relaying a conversation that he and Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R-S.C.) had with a jailed "high-ranking member of al Qaeda," McCain replied that pictures of detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib had allowed the terrorist organization "to recruit thousands of young men."

And yet, despite acknowledging that the use of torture was counter-productive and in violation of international law -- laws that have been ratified by the United States -- McCain still insisted that the Obama Justice Department was wrong to launch an investigation into the matter.

"I believe the president was right when he said we ought to go forward and not back," he said. "I worry about the morale and effectiveness of the CIA. I worry about this thing getting out of control and us harming our ability to carry out the struggle we are in with radical Islamic extremism."

"For us now to go back," McCain added. "I think would be a serious mistake."

Still living the past I see.... Besides the Geneva Convention does not apply to terrorist and at least McCain is smart enough to realize Obama is WRONG to pursue the issue...

Living in the past? You make it sound like this happened 50 years ago and the only reason you don't want Obama to pursue this is because republican heads would roll. If democrats had of pulled this stunt and tortured people, you'd be begging for their heads on a platter. Look how you respond to Clinton getting a BJ. And remember, we are at war with terror Lucas. Yes, the Geneva Conventions do apply. I would think Mr. McCain would know more about that law than you or me considering what he's been through. Not that I like him as a leader. He's the one that opended pandora's box aka Sarah Palin and that will forever be his legacy as far as I'm concerned.

There are plenty of Dems involved in the torture issue as well... This also adds to the list of Obama lies... I don't care what heads roll if it was illegal at the time... Link to where the Geneva Convention applies to terrorist????

Lucas McCain wrote:

There are plenty of Dems involved in the torture issue as well... This also adds to the list of Obama lies... I don't care what heads roll if it was illegal at the time... Link to where the Geneva Convention applies to terrorist????

Whether it's Dems or Pubs supporting it, or whether it is being done to military personnel or not. It's wrong, can give inaccurate information and should stop.

We need to be better than those that we fight against.

Annie Oakley wrote:

Lucas McCain wrote:

There are plenty of Dems involved in the torture issue as well... This also adds to the list of Obama lies... I don't care what heads roll if it was illegal at the time... Link to where the Geneva Convention applies to terrorist????

Whether it's Dems or Pubs supporting it, or whether it is being done to military personnel or not. It's wrong, can give inaccurate information and should stop.

We need to be better than those that we fight against.

I'm still upset at Obama for not pushing this issue. The people responsible should be brought to justice, republican or democrat. I don't care which. It was illegal and the people who called the shots...Dick Cheney....needs to pay for their crimes.

We have been over this a few times.... The torture was NOT Illegal at the time it was being conducted... HOW it became legal is the gray area... At the time Pelosi, Reed and other security counsel members were in agreement... So what changed??? Politics as usual...

Lucas McCain wrote:

We have been over this a few times.... The torture was NOT Illegal at the time it was being conducted... HOW it became legal is the gray area... At the time Pelosi, Reed and other security counsel members were in agreement... So what changed??? Politics as usual...

Actually the people that matter have said it is illegal and Cheney even said he knew it was and didn't care. You can keep on saying it's not but it's not going to magically make it true Lucas.

So, no answer to my question?? Legal or illegal, why did the left agree to it and now they don't.. Like I said, politics as usual... Personally, I don't give a flip about any of it... It just adds to whats holding America back..

Lucas McCain wrote:

So, no answer to my question?? Legal or illegal, why did the left agree to it and now they don't.. Like I said, politics as usual... Personally, I don't give a flip about any of it... It just adds to whats holding America back..

I said that EVERYONE involved should be held accountable for their actions if they were involved. ALL OF THEM.

If the Democrats go after this, it may blow up in their faces like when the Republicans went after Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice. Did Clinton commit crimes, yes, perjury and obstruction of justice are both crimes. Did America care? No, they just wanted to move on. My guess is Americans just want to move on in regards to torture also and a long drawn out investigation will turn agaist them like it did the Republicans in the 90's.

Wyatt Earp wrote:

If the Democrats go after this, it may blow up in their faces like when the Republicans went after Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice. Did Clinton commit crimes, yes, perjury and obstruction of justice are both crimes. Did America care? No, they just wanted to move on. My guess is Americans just want to move on in regards to torture also and a long drawn out investigation will turn agaist them like it did the Republicans in the 90's.

I guess I see a huge difference in getting a BJ and torturing people. Clinton's little escapade didn't violate the Geneva Conventions but we spent more money investigating that. Pretty sad. No wonder the world thinks we've lost it.

gringaloca wrote:

I guess I see a huge difference in getting a BJ and torturing people. Clinton's little escapade didn't violate the Geneva Conventions but we spent more money investigating that. Pretty sad. No wonder the world thinks we've lost it.

I never have understood why people can't understand that he wasn't proseuted due to getting oral, he was prosecuted because HE LIED UNDER OATH = PERJURY and HE CONVINCED MONICA TO LIE UNDER OATH = OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE. Both of these are felonies and if any of us on this board committed these crimes we would serve time. It is amusing how people manage to play down the crimes of politicians they support.

Wyatt Earp wrote:

gringaloca wrote:

I guess I see a huge difference in getting a BJ and torturing people. Clinton's little escapade didn't violate the Geneva Conventions but we spent more money investigating that. Pretty sad. No wonder the world thinks we've lost it.

I never have understood why people can't understand that he wasn't proseuted due to getting oral, he was prosecuted because HE LIED UNDER OATH = PERJURY and HE CONVINCED MONICA TO LIE UNDER OATH = OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE. Both of these are felonies and if any of us on this board committed these crimes we would serve time. It is amusing how people manage to play down the crimes of politicians they support.

The problem with what happened to Clinton is that it should have never even been investigated to begin with. He had an affair. If anything legal should have happened, it should have been Clinton Vs. Clinton in divorce court but instead it was made into a HUGE deal and cost taxpayers millions of dollars. The man was impeached so he got his punishment for his stupid decision and his stupid lie. Shall we throw all men in jail for lying about having an affair? Hey, that sounds like an awesome idea to me! Anyway, if you want him thrown in prison for perjury and obstruction of justice, they better make a very big prison because there are going to be MANY politicians sitting in there with him including Cheney, Rumsfeld, Sanford, etc... I population of DC would go down a few hundred I'm sure. I still think that comparing Clinton's fling to torturing and killing people is a pretty big stretch. As the bumpersticker says...When Clinton lied, nobody died....