Cain, Bachmann say they would support waterboarding

Republican presidential candidates Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann said at the CBS News/National Journal presidential debate on Saturday night that they would support the renewed use of waterboarding, which Cain said he did not consider a form of torture.

Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman strongly disagreed with the practice.

The discussion was prompted by an email question from a Stephen Schafroth in Oregon who wrote: "I served on an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War. I believe that torture is always wrong in all cases. What is your stance on torture?"

While Cain maintained he was against torture, he said he would call on the "judgment of our military leaders to determine what is torture and what is not torture." Cain says he does not consider waterboarding to be torture - and instead called it an "enhanced interrogation technique."

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Candidates split on waterboarding

The U.S. acknowledged waterboarding terror suspects following 9/11, but prohibited the practice in 2006. When President Obama took office, he banned all "enhanced interrogation techniques."

Bachmann also said she'd be willing to allow waterboarding if elected president, calling the practice "very effective."

"It gained information for our country," Bachmann said.

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However, Ron Paul vehemently disagreed, declaring that "water boarding is torture" and "torture is illegal" by both U.S. and international laws. He called the practice of water boarding both "immoral" and "impractical," questioning the effectiveness of such techniques.

"Why would you accept the position of torturing a hundred people because you know one person might have information?" Paul said. "It's really un-American to accept, on principle, that we will torture people that we capture."

Huntsman also disagreed with the practice, while invoking the brand and values of the United States.

"We diminish our standing in the world and the values that we project, which include liberty, democracy, human rights and open markets, when we torture," Huntsman said. "We lose that ability to project values that a lot of people in corners of this world are still relying on the United States to stand up for."

Later in the debate, Rick Santorum revisited the issue to advocate the use of enhanced interrogation techniques. Santorum said they had been successful in gathering information, and "critical" in the war against terror.

Rick Perry denounced torture but alluded to his approval of so-called enhanced interrogation, saying he is for the use of any techniques to "save young American lives."

"This is war," Perry said. "That's what happens in war. "

Neither candidate mentioned waterboarding.

The eight Republican candidates were at Wofford College in South Carolina on Saturday for the "commander-in-chief debate," sponsored by CBS News and National Journal. The debate, moderated by CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley and National Journal congressional correspondent Major Garrett, focused on foreign policy and national security.

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Post-debate analysis with CBS News political director John Dickerson

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The commander-in-chief debate

[PourpaixPourpaix]

I remember the words of a plain-clothes Air Force major who worked for the CIA. "In order to survive in the world with Soviet Russia, we must become like Soviet Russia." What's the point in fighting for truth, justice, and decency if we must lie and abuse to win? What difference does it make if it's the terrorists or the American government in charge if they both stand for the same things?

Cain and Bachmann have both openly stated an intent to commit war crimes. A vote for either is aiding and abetting criminal behavior. Neither have a place in American government.

[chabotjo]

"He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it." Of course, these ignorant candidates are not in any risk of falling into enemy hands. They're just millionaires who want others to risk their lives to protect their own business concerns. The Lord protect us from falling into the leadership of these myopic candidates.

Good post, guess we see now how seriously Perry takes his scripture.

[JimArjuna]

Very good. LET'S WATERBOARD BACHMANN.

[littleoldguy]

Every hunter knows that a wild animal becomes extremely dangerous when it is cornered. If we approve torture, during the war or not, we basically forced the enemy to fight to their last breath to avoid being captured and tortured, which will definitely increase the casualty of owr own. Those people who sit behid the desk all their life need to learn the reality before they open their mouse.

[I-C-Warming]

Unelectable nut cases can pull the debate towards their own insanity. Torture isn't torture if you call it "not torture"--that covers anything you want to do to a prisoner, doesn't it? Of course this appeals to people who haven't resolved the trauma from childhood when they were beaten, and many of them vote. Cain/Bachmann can't fly, but they push the other candidates towards making America despicable again.

[NadePaulKuciGravMcKi]

United Children, Child of Iran, Parallel Prayers, Baseball Koran

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=022tvozftNk

[KaphenDePriest]

I have a better idea. Instead of waterboarding, lets stab them in the head with a ring of thorns, and then make them carry a really heavy beam of wood up a hill and lash them with a whip until they bleed. Then let's pound nails thru their hands and feet and thrust a spear through their side and then hang them up for a few days.

I'll bet they would talk then. They would probably say something like:

"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

[aussiebach]

Mr Cain and Ms Bachmann are the only two people on the face of this earth who should be waterboarded. How these two disgusting people can even be given any publicity is beyond my comprehension. They both need to go away quietly before revealing any more of their hideous selves to us - yuck!
On second thoughts, even they shouldn't be waterboarded - why should we sink to their toxic level.
It's called civilization.

[ULiveFreeOrDie]

Chitty job CBS!!!!!

[shurch4truth]

It's sad that Bachmann and Cain would say this just to get votes from a segment of society that this appeals to. They do this knowing full-well that it then puts our service men and women at greater risk of receiving the same type of treatment.

Shame on Michele and Herman.