To: Sully- who wrote (61172 ) 7/22/2007 12:30:28 PM From: Sully- Respond to of 90947 If we are unwilling to use this humane but effective method of interrogation, even when lives may be at stake, we are not sufficiently serious about the threat we face from Islamic extremists. Kinder, Gentler Treatment of Terrorist Detainees Power Line The long-festering issue of how far the CIA can go in questioning terrorist detainees has been resolved, for now at least, with a new executive order that authorizes resumption of the use of some "severe interrogation methods" by the agency, while at the same time accepting the State Department's definition of "humiliating and degrading treatment." The practical effect of the change is to deny the CIA use of waterboarding and temperature extremes as interrogation tactics. What "severe interrogation methods" remain available has not been made public. At present, this is probably more of a propaganda issue than anything else. The CIA says that it has only 14 terrorists currently in custody. I've always thought, however, that waterboarding is the ideal interrogation method for terrorists. It is extraordinarily effective, and reportedly was the source of information obtained from Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and other key members of al Qaeda. Waterboarding is completely harmless, but is sufficiently frightening that it almost always works in a matter of minutes. It works by inducing terror, an appropriate means for obtaining information from a terrorist. If we are unwilling to use this humane but effective method of interrogation, even when lives may be at stake, we are not sufficiently serious about the threat we face from Islamic extremists. To comment on this post, go here.plnewsforum.com powerlineblog.com nytimes.com