John McCain has specifically listed the previously accepted interrogation techniques banned in the compromise between the White House and the Congress.
A Republican senator who played a leading role in drafting new rules for U.S. interrogations of terrorism suspects said yesterday that he believes a compromise bill embraced by party leaders and the White House will bar some of the most extreme techniques said to have been used by the CIA.
Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) named three measures that he said would no longer be allowed under a provision barring techniques that cause serious mental or physical suffering by U.S. detainees: extreme sleep deprivation, forced hypothermia and “waterboarding,” which simulates drowning. He also said other “extreme measures” would be banned.
Good news. These were the most extreme of the techniques used that were in the gray area between outright torture and compliance with the Geneva protocols.
Still, as Bruce McQuain points out, “The question is, whether the CIA will actually obey the new guidelines and, if not, whether anyone will even know.”
Meanwhile, Ed Morrissey thinks McCain is aiding the enemy. “Islamists who watch American media will note the exceptions McCain listed and tell their operatives that they will not need to prepare for waterboarding and can prepare for less rigorous techniques.” Because, I’m sure, they’re spending a lot of time practicing being waterboarded now.
