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GOP Senator Says Waterboarding Torture Technique Is Like "Swimming"

Posted by Amanda Terkel, Think Progress at 9:53 AM on December 12, 2007.

Conservatives have repeatedly tried to dismiss the seriousness of waterboarding, referring to it as a “swim lesson.”

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Kit Bond Compares Waterboarding to Swimming

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Yesterday on PBS's Newshour, host Gwen Ifill asked Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) whether waterboarding constitutes torture. Bond replied that the technique is actually more like "swimming":

GWEN IFILL: Do you think that waterboarding, as I described it, constitutes torture?

SEN. KIT BOND: There are different ways of doing it. It's like swimming, freestyle, backstroke. The waterboarding could be used almost to define some of the techniques that our trainees are put through, but that's beside the point. It's not being used.

Conservatives have repeatedly tried to dismiss the seriousness of waterboarding, referring to it as a "swim lesson."

There's no doubt that waterboarding is torture. There's also no question that it's been carried out on detainees. Former CIA interrogator John Kiriakou came out this week and confirmed that in 2002, al Qaeda leader Abu Zubaydah was waterboarded on orders from the White House.

Tagged as: republicans, torture, waterboarding, kiriakou, bong

Amanda Terkel is Deputy Research Director at the Center for American Progress and serves as Deputy Editor for The Progress Report and ThinkProgress.org at the Center for American Progress.

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Okay Senator Kitty Bond [Report this comment] Posted by: tommy1957 on Dec 12, 2007 10:10 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Let’s watch Kitty go swimming. It aint torture and even though he is a pussy he shouldn't mind the swimming (water boarding) at all. Oh and if he should die in the process; then I guess it is true what they say; a pussy in water will always drown. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » Please don't insult my cat in this way. Posted by: thekidde RE: kit bond [Report this comment] Posted by: herronsmith on Dec 12, 2007 10:44 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Which reminds me why NOT to vote for Mike Huckabee. Not that I would...or could. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] RE: kit bond- why he keeps getting elected [Report this comment] Posted by: bookie on Dec 13, 2007 12:14 PM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Bond is a pig. I disagree with him on just about every issue that comes up. He gets re-elected because he brings the pork home to Missouri. He's also a bible thumper, but I do think that he truly believes in what he says. He should try waterboarding for himself before making such an asinine statement. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] The Senator Is Missing The Point [Report this comment] Posted by: QQOblivion on Dec 12, 2007 10:14 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] And Kit Bond would probably say that electrocuting someone's genitals is just like masturbation. I personally believe that waterboarding IS torture. But whether it falls into a certain category or not is just academic. What really matters is that waterboarding is a form of assault. It can kill. It causes severe emotional distress. Those are the facts. If I, not being a government employee, did it to someone I kidnapped and tied up, I would be prosecuted. In that sense it should be illegal, however you want to categorize it. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: The Senator Is Missing The Point Posted by: Xynyx » Or stupidly simple as Posted by: thekidde » Masturbation? No, no, no. What we have here is FAILURE to COMMUNICATE. Posted by: eddie torres Laches [Report this comment] Posted by: Laches on Dec 12, 2007 1:26 PM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] The Senate minority, except for a few, is made up of shameless, blatant fascist neocons who have taken control of the Republican Party. In fact, Eisenhower type moderate Republicans are all but gone, their demise having begun with the over-rated Reagan, the first modern puppet, who started the Country down the slope to its current status under the incompetent now sitting in the oval office, who continues to make domestic and foreign matters worse by the week. Bond is a dedicated member of this Senate gang, and shares their contempt for and gross indifference to the serious concerns of the average working American. He and the other disgusting sycophants in his ideological camp never saw any of those in the upper 0.5% of the income levels before whom they wouldn't endlessly grovel and serve. At the same time, this gang never saw a labor union they wouldn't undermine but preferably destroy nor a social safety net they wouldn't gleefully shred and proclaim that every man and woman and child in dire circumstances can fend for themselves. As it was questioned about Kansas, what is wrong with Missouri? [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » From 1975 to 1995, inorder to distance themselves from the national party Posted by: johngary66 Sen. Kit Bond. [Report this comment] Posted by: Versamedi on Dec 12, 2007 2:28 PM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Hello Kitty, let's go swimming.(I mean waterboarding!) [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Sen. Kit Bond. Posted by: howmad1 it's official [Report this comment] Posted by: anchoorite on Dec 12, 2007 5:17 PM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] So it's official now, USA does torture. Good to know ... [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] If "waterboarding" is so much like "swimming"... [Report this comment] Posted by: ~Fiona~ on Dec 12, 2007 6:02 PM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] ...I suggest this particular neocon be tossed in the Deep End at the earlier possible opportunity! Ahole [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] does USA torture? [Report this comment] Posted by: anchoorite on Dec 12, 2007 6:37 PM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Well, it looks like yes. Using one of the methods invented by the Inquisition and perfected by Pol Pot. But interesting question here is, why did Bush lie? I remember hearing him say so many times "USA DOES NOT TORTURE". Is he a liar? Or an ignorant? Can't be good in any case ... [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: does USA torture? Posted by: Cybershaman Us jailed Japanese for waterboarding [Report this comment] Posted by: martyweiss on Dec 12, 2007 10:11 PM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] If it is not torture, and it is not being used, why did the President ok it? After all the US sent a Japanese military officer to prison for fifteen years for exactly that. Also, I was amused by the cute little blink the Honorable Senator made before telling this lie. Why is it necessary to violate the Geneva Conventions, the Nuremburg Charter and the Uniform Code of Military Justice in order to defeat a small band of cutthroats? Is America so weak it must give up it's principles? [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Not torture? Show me! [Report this comment] Posted by: bigremo on Dec 13, 2007 4:13 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] So many people claim that "water-boarding is not torture", but I don't see anyone willing to undergo the process to "teach us liberals a lesson". If a Senator got water-boarded, was forced to recant one of his valid and verified beliefs (God, Abortion, capital punishment, illegal immigration, whatever), and can later say "water-boarding isn't torture", I'll believe that water-boarding isn't torture...and I'll join the GOP...and I'll start believing in Harry Potter or God or whatever imaginary power they need me to believe in. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Swimming with your arms and legs tied. [Report this comment] Posted by: girlperson1 on Dec 13, 2007 5:15 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Swimming with your arms and legs tied. Try it!! [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Waterboarding, another disgrace by the gov't [Report this comment] Posted by: Reader11722 on Dec 13, 2007 4:22 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Waterboarding, yet another infringement on our rights by the gov't. Add it to the ever-growing list of violations: They violate the 1st Amendment by opening mail, caging demonstrators and banning books like America Deceived (book) from Amazon. They violate the 2nd Amendment by confiscating guns during Katrina. They violate the 4th Amendment by conducting warrant-less wiretaps. They violate the 5th and 6th Amendment by suspending habeas corpus. They violate the 8th Amendment by torturing. They violate the entire Constitution by starting 2 illegal wars based on lies and on behalf of a foriegn gov't. Support Dr. Ron Paul and save this great country. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]