Norm Coleman: Clearly Against Torture..Except When He Isn't

Category: Norm Coleman

by Dave Mindeman

Anybody notice the Star Tribune Letter of the Day?

As a senator who has been a strong supporter of efforts to reassert that the United States does not engage in torture, I think it is important to clarify my position with respect to a provision in the Intelligence Authorization bill that seeks to apply the rules of the Army Field Manual to the CIA, which was questioned in an opinion piece published in these pages Feb. 7.

First of all, I share the view that waterboarding is torture and should never be used as an interrogation technique. I proudly voted for the Detainee Treatment Act and Military Commissions Act, which ensured that cruel and inhumane techniques such as waterboarding would not be employed against any detainee held by the United States.

I am also pleased that the CIA is no longer engaged in waterboarding. The CIA director officially prohibited waterboarding in 2006, after it had already not been used for three years.

However, I do not agree with the provision in the Intelligence Bill that seeks to apply the Army Field Manual to the CIA. The Army Field Manual was written for military agents facing military scenarios. Simply put, the CIA is not the Army and it operates under very different circumstances. Requiring the CIA to adhere to the requirements of the Army carries with it a host of implications that go far beyond the issue of waterboarding.

The debate over this legislation is not about waterboarding. I agree the CIA should not waterboard, and I'm relieved that it isn't done anymore. The question is whether the Army Field Manual is the appropriate handbook for the CIA -- and on that point I disagree.

SEN. NORM COLEMAN, WASHINGTON

Did you get all that?

Let's try to translate....

Waterboarding is bad...Army Field Manual governs soldiers.... CIA exempt..... = Army can waterboard by sending detainees to CIA.

And I love this line:

I am also pleased that the CIA is no longer engaged in waterboarding. The CIA director officially prohibited waterboarding in 2006, after it had already not been used for three years.

They are no longer engaged in something they prohibited 2 years ago after not using it for the previous three years. Get that?

Norm is in exemplary word parsing mode. His vocabulary teacher must be so proud.

It is comforting to know that the senior Senator from Minnesota is taking a clear position against waterboarding....except when the CIA (not the Army) needs to do it, in secret, even though he is totally against it...most of the time....with exceptions.

Got that?