U.S. senator gets so angry at Cheney’s torture defense that he offers to waterboard him

[deminks]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/04/06/watch-u-s-senator-gets-so-angry-at-cheneys-torture-defense-that-he-offers-to-waterboard-him/

(snip)

Sen. Angus King, who is on the intelligence committee, (I-ME) reacted to Cheney’s comments during a Sunday appearance on MSNBC.

“I was stunned to hear that quote from Vice President Cheney,” King explained. “If he doesn’t think that was torture, I would invite him anywhere in the United States to sit in a waterboard and go through what those people went through, one of them a hundred and plus-odd times.”

“That’s ridiculous to make that claim! This was torture by anybody’s definition,” he continued. “John McCain says it’s torture, and I think he’s in a better position to know this than Vice President Cheney. I was shocked to hear that statement that he just made.”

“And to say that it was carefully managed, and everybody knew what was going on, that’s absolutely nonsense.”

(end snip)

Amen.

[Autumn]

1. I really want to watch, this is one instance where I would support water boarding

and cheer it on. Be a man dick, and show us just how it wasn't torture. You would be man enough to take it dick, right?


Fucking bastard.

[Enthusiast]

11. +1

[sabrina 1]

16. Of course he woudn't the man is the very definition of the word 'coward'. All he's trying to do now

is cover his own crimes, being he was part of that massive criminal enterprise.

While I'm glad to see a Republican admit that crimes were committed, I'm wondering why he is 'stunned' by Cheney's attempt to excuse torture, he's been doing it since 2003, and so far, shamefully, is still walking around free.

[Autumn]

19. I really can't picture anyone thinking that man

isn't a murderous, torturing monster. He has bragged about it enough times. He's never made a secret of it.

[TheKentuckian]

24. He like those thrown up that have experienced such as part of special ops training

would be certain intellectually that there is no danger, that they are not in the hands of a true enemy, and would have knowledge of what is coming.

It is hard to create a parallel to what had to be going through the minds of those tortured.

[Separation]

79. Yes and no

For those of us that have gone through S.E.R.E. school it's a mixed bag. At times I knew that I only had 3 days to go, but them getting beaten, sleep deprivation, and yes water boarding wiped that idea out of my head at the time. On the other hand sere was more of what to expect at a minimum and how to conduct yourself.

Let's just say we carried vasoline in our flight bags and didn't learn that from sere.

[kardonb]

44. cheney

he HAS to believe that he was doing the right thing , otherwise he could not stand to look in the mirror and see himself for what he is : a monster in human form , with no soul and no conscience .

[2naSalit]

56. I think that

vampires have no reflection in mirrors so...

[pscot]

87. That's it!

[MurrayDelph]

71. Let's do it on pay-per-view

We might be able to finally pay off the war debt.

[Xipe Totec]

2. Can't be done. He'd melt if he came in contact with water nt

[Treant]

4. That's only witches

The Tin Man was the one without a heart, and he only rusted when in contact with water.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

61. + 1!

[Enthusiast]

9. +1

[Voice for Peace]

17. a hissing sound.. some steam, a whiff of sulfur

[Octafish]

3. Japanese waterboarders were hanged as war criminals after World War II.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-begala/yes-inational-reviewi-we_b_191153.html

[Enthusiast]

8. +1

[Voice for Peace]

23. a good one to pull out of the archives. I just posted on FB.

Cheney and others may yet end up facing justice.
I have that much hope.

[malaise]

70. What I love is how they all blame the AG

as if it wasn't their decision - last I heard from that war criminal, he couldn't recall a fugging thing.

[99Forever]

5. Too bad that those who could actually...

... have the power bring not just this evil scumbag, but also the rest of his war criminal cohorts, to justice, have given them a free pass, it's hard to be surprised that these monsters are still viable voices (for some) for anything.

Bless Sen Angus King for having the ethics and humanity to speak truth to power.

[Enthusiast]

7. +1

[sabrina 1]

18. Let's hope there are no repercussions for him. Remember when Lindsey Graham, during the Abu Ghraib

hearings on whether or not to release the other photos chose to go view them, some refused, probably so they could have some kind of plausible deniability? When he emerged from the viewing of those photos he was visibly shaken, and responded to Cheney's criticisms of the process by telling him to 'Let us do our job Mr. VP, what we just saw was TORTURE'. That was a rare break with the Bush gang for a Republican at the time.

But it didn't last long, his shock that the US was torturing people, men, women AND even children. Either he got a phone call and was threatened, or he recovered from his shock all by himself, but he was silent after that, voting the 'right' way on issues related to this later on. I'm going with the first option.

It will take EVERYONE speaking out to defang the monsters who did this and are still roaming around being interviewed as if they were not criminals.

[99Forever]

21. Agree on all counts, Sabrina.

"This shall not be left to stand."

[Voice for Peace]

26. great post, I don't remember that about Lindsay getting the vapors from looking at pictures

of torture.

You're absolutely right. Let us do whatever we can
to keep this very fresh in people's minds. The above-linked
article re Japanese is still current and powerful, I just shared
it on FB.

[bvar22]

48. Hillary was right behind Graham as they left the Hearing Room,

and she was "shaken" too.
Both of them pledged that they would not rest until "justice" was done.
Took about an hour for that to wear off, and they returned to their previous personas.

[sabrina 1]

89. Thank you, I've tried to find the reports on Graham admonishing Cheney, which I remember

seeing on TV as we watched those hearings, hoping something would be done about it. But haven't found anything so far.

Graham was probably struck by a moment of conscience after viewing that horrific proof of our depravity. But he got over it pretty fast, as did Hillary, who airc, when running for the WH did say something about torture ONLY being acceptable under certain conditions. That ended for me any thoughts of ever supporting her for any powerful office.

[G_j]

51. a number of people saw those photos

I still wonder how someone can see photos (evidence) of a crime, and not be held accountable yourself for doing nothing about it.

[sabrina 1]

57. Much as I did not want to see them, I supported having them released mainly so that those in elected

office would have to deal with the public's reaction rather than make some decision among themselves that it was 'best for the country' (meaning the criminals and their enablers) not to see them.

I remember all the court battles over whether or not they should be released. I would not have supported releasing them IF something had been done about the crimes btw.

Then nothing, years of reports on court hearings, and then the whole thing went away. I just read that this was due to a decision by the Obama administration.

[Enthusiast]

6. Ol' five deferment Dick?

Don't you just love war criminal chickenhawks?

[GoneFishin]

10. He'd wet his Darth Vader superhero underoos before the first drop of water touched him.

Fucking chicken hawk.

[Enthusiast]

13. +1

[Solly Mack]

12. I'm angry the fucker is still free.

And not just him.

[Enthusiast]

14. Me too.

[Arkana]

15. I kinda like Angus King.

He's got that Maine bluntness--he doesn't dress up his language.

[Voice for Peace]

27. I'd like to know more about him. Truly refreshing honesty, intelligence & fairness,

zero bullshit or egomania, to the naked eye at least.

This video of him is going to get a lot of mileage I think.
He is speaking for many people, and doing it well.

[PotatoChip]

53. He was a pretty decent Governor.

Left of center on social issues, moderate on fiscal stuff. With a few minor exceptions, my only 'beef' w/him was an expensive business equipment tax reimbursement program (BETR) that he put in place. In his defense however, a lot of state governors and legislatures were doing that kind of stuff in the 90's/early aughts.

Your instincts as to his character are dead-on. What you see is what you get w/Angus. A straight-forward, decent guy overall.

[eShirl]

82. Growing up, I knew him from public television's pledge drives

I think he was the station's general manager, or something similar.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

20. *THIS* is leadership! Imagine the PPV ratings.

Last edited Sun Apr 6, 2014, 10:55 PM - Edit history (1)

Pay-per-view revenue might generate enough to buy a carrier or two.

[B Calm]

22. Wouldn't bother a 900 year old vampire. .

[Voice for Peace]

29. oh jeez.. it all makes sense now

you have sent a shiver down me timbers.

[B Calm]

33. True Fact: Cheney doesn't have a heartbeat like you and I.

As a matter of fact, (just like a dead person) he has no heart beat at all!

[Voice for Peace]

39. not even since he stole the young healthy heart of that missing guy?

[Ilsa]

25. I might enjoy Hunger Games-ing the Neocons.

Shrub, Darth Cheney, Rumsferatu, Condosleeza Rice, and Wolfowitz should all have to face each other in the arena. And whomever is left gets waterboarded.

[Duval]

45. I love your cast of

nefarious characters!

[Ilsa]

74. "Tributes!" LOL. If you've seen the movies,

you know what Tributes are. These asses would be entertaining because of their cowardice.

[Puglover]

86. Made me think of that bloodthirsty monster

mimicking Karla Tucker. "Please don't kill me; please don't kill me."

[erronis]

49. Adding Douglas Feith and John Yoo to your dis-honor role

Feith appears to be the larval form of a Cheney or Rove - he made me sick just to look at his pasty face explaining our murderous policies. Yoo is the scarier - smart lawyer in the pay of the devil.

I'd also throw in all of those Capitans of Industry - the MIPC who stole millions from the Americans by profiteering off the war. They are all accomplices in murder and should be tried, just like we did after the Great Wars - remember how we treated Prescott Bush, Krup, Ford...

[Ilsa]

73. Yes! Add those guys as "Tributes!" LOL. nt

[The Wizard]

76. Naked and armed with straight razors (NT)

[loudsue]

28. And until our government declares Cheney a psychopath, and convicts him of murder

and heinous crimes against nature and our government, then his kind will continue to gain power in the world.

[mountain grammy]

30. Blunt truth on a Sunday talk show? I'm stunned and amazed.

[ProSense]

32. Senator Angus King does not

"Blunt truth on a Sunday talk show? I'm stunned and amazed."

...mince words.

Senator Angus King on House Republicans: ‘They Hate Government. They Don’t Want Government To Work.’
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023743940

Sen. Angus King: Conservatives Who Urge People To Avoid Obamacare Are 'Guilty Of Murder'
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/sen-angus-king-conservatives-who-urge-people-to-avoid-obamacare-are-guilty-of-murder

I heart him.

[mountain grammy]

58. I love him too and will contact both my Democratic senators and tell them

I want to hear them quoted like this. Mark Udall is running for re-election this November. He better start making some noise because that creepy ass teabagger Cory Gardiner is nipping at his heels and he's got the $$$ behind him (and in front of him and up his ass and in his pockets.)

[Rex]

31. GOPukers are cruel and like to hurt other people, especially if they are helpless.

They are the biggest plague to hurt America since I don't know when. I don't know if they initially decided to hurt America from their very beginning as a party, but they sure are proud of it now! So proud that they couldn't wait to spread misery and war to others far away.

I hate republicans.

[Stuart G]

34. Everyone must listen and watch what Sen Angus King says here..(thanks for posting)

Link to it, it will be viral soon....or already is..

Cheney will or will not answer....
But the truth is seen, as to who is a liar, and who is not.

[Demeter]

35. That would be the waste of a donor heart, waterboarding Cheney

but the saving of the nation....

OR we COULD just turn him over to the ICC....which should have happened 6 years ago.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

36. Can I help?

[Dawson Leery]

37. Notice that Condi is giving lectures about freedom?

Notice all the other neo-con war criminals are coming out of the woodwork.

[pragmatic_dem]

78. condi wants the freedom to slaughter impoverished people to steal their oil, then she wants freedom

from jail for her crimes against humanity.

[gregcrawford]

38. Cheney is a textbook psychopath

The fact that this sneering disease isn't behind bars for the rest of his worthless life is proof of the total corruption of our legal system. Christ, what a waste of skin, to say nothing of hearts.

[2banon]

55. Perfect ID of who he is.. and an easy one to twitter, text bomb M$M who seems hell bent on

resurrecting these f**k jobs and trotting them on their shows. I'm so glad I'm not contributing financial support to the Ministry of Neo Con Propaganda and their shills vis a vis cable or satellite.

[Alert: Jumping on my soap box]

That's right folks, your monthly cable/sat bills fund this bullshit. Comcast, Direct TV et al, actually fund Dick Cheney's platform. If knowing this isn't enough for progressives (hell, moderate liberals even) to cease and desist volunteering monthly payments to the institutions which serve to prop up Neo Con's personally, their agenda and their campaigns, what will?

[End Soap Box]

[2banon]

40. Didn't know much about him.. so I wiki'd his Bio.. An Independent involved in Sustainable Energy

but generally caucuses with the Dems.. interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angus_King

[mainer]

47. I've known Angus a long time.

He's fiscally conservative but socially liberal. He and his wife were way out ahead of the curve in supporting gay marriage.

[2banon]

50. Sounds like an old school conservative, sort of anachronistic these days...

In any event, not an anti-intellectual, very much into Conservation and Sustainable energy. There's my idea of a Conservative I can actually have a conversation with. And I'm certainly impressed with his call out on Cheney's torture comment!

[mainer]

52. Truly an intellectual. (He taught at Bowdoin)

I wish he could be President, but an Independent has no chance.

[Jasana]

41. I would like to see this malignant, malicious malefactor...

go through the waterboarding process 5 times with no way to stop it and then see if he thinks it's torture. I bet this dirtbag couldn't maintain one of his "stress positions" for 15 minutes before staring to cry like a baby. He truly is horrible.

[WillyT]

42. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[DeSwiss]

43. K&R

Japanese Soldiers Executed for Waterboarding WWII American POWs

Yes, We Did Execute Japanese Soldiers for Waterboarding American POWs

- Tell Dick he owes some apologies.......

[paleotn]

54. Exactly! Enough said. (nt)

[mainer]

46. Yay my senator. Go, Angus.

Just proves you don't have to be a Dem to be a good senator.

[mainer]

59. Angus's definition of "a Canadian":

"An unarmed North American with healthcare."

[eShirl]

83. ha!

Thanks, I hadn't heard that one before.

[Berlum]

60. That's the same excuse torturers made after placing the crown of thorns

On the head of Christ 2000 years ago -- the Republicans of yesteryear.

Five military deferments Cheney is beneath contempt in his excuse making

[Jesus Malverde]

62. Waterboarding...

We see time and time again some guy lying down, with a cloth over his mouth, water poured from a bottle and it's described as water boarding.

Real water boarding looks nothing like that, Video's from the arrest of Jack Idema show what real waterboarding looks like

Google Video search "Jack Idema Torture" to see real waterboarding

[Hamlette]

63. He was great. I have been waiting for so long for someone to say that outloud.

Cheney is a monster.

[Wolf Frankula]

65. I Quote Jesse Ventura

"You give me Dick Cheney, a waterboard and one hour, and I'll have him confessing to the Sharon Tate murders."

Wolf

[Spitfire of ATJ]

66. We are telling the world our politicians are above the law.

[nilesobek]

67. Each day that goes by

more and more people are challenging the neo-cons. We know we have the upper hand because they broke the law.

The frame is coming undone Mr. Cheney, what are you going to do?

[NastyRiffraff]

68. Take the challenge, Cheney!

Please.

Someone be sure to take a video for YouTube.

[rhett o rick]

69. We should start a petition to prosecute Cheney for torture. nm

[4bucksagallon]

72. Go Angus, that's my Senator......... Now if we could get rid of Susan Collins.......

[mainer]

80. Yes, we can get rid of Susan Collins

Our best hope yet: http://bellowsforsenate.com/

[The Wizard]

75. There is no statute of limitations

for war crimes. The entire cartel belongs on trial.

[pragmatic_dem]

77. This report will be used as a politcal tool between institutions, none of which

have shown any accountability to the majority of United States citizens.

A report like this is nothing more than negotiating collateral between the White House, Congress, and the security services that operate as a fourth, hidden branch of government.

They are all too big to fail institutions, brittle and walled off from the public, intolerant of criticism. They are answerable to no one.

History predicts that the perpetrators will be bailed out at the expense of justice and the public.

Again. And. Again.

Washington is a den of poisonous snakes.

[eShirl]

81. That's my senator!

[WinkyDink]

84. Cheney has other priorities.

Away from the hearing room, he told the Washington Post that he had sought his deferments because "I had other priorities in the 60's than military service."

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/01/politics/campaign/01CHEN.html

[spicegal]

85. You can be sure that Cheney will go to his grave defending his crimes.

Waterboarding is clearly torture, and it wasn't the only enhanced technique utilized.

[sulphurdunn]

88. Sadly, neither truth

nor indignation will put Cheney in prison for treason and war crimes.

[guss]

90. Cheney no Heart, all lies

He Shot his bff in the face and made him apologize for it. You think that for a second that Cheney would treat Prisoners of war less then what he would do to a rabid animal on his property. hes an asshole! and the programs that put him on tv are just as bigger assholes. they just let him hand out shit sandwiches.. with out any questions as to why we gotta keep getting shit sandwiches from him. hes a liar and a traitor. burn burn burn