John Brennan, the head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), promised that even if the next U.S. president orders the use of certain torture techniques to extract confessions from terrorism suspects, his agency will not comply. In an interview with NBC News on Sunday, April 22, he referred to what he called 'enhanced interrogation techniques,' including 'waterboarding,' stating, 'I will not agree to the use of some of these tactics and techniques that I have heard discussed a lot because our organization must show restraint.' He particularly emphasized that he would not agree to the CIA's agents using the method of 'simulated drowning' or waterboarding for obtaining confessions. Barack Obama, the U.S. president, banned the use of waterboarding shortly after taking office in 2009. Donald Trump, the leading Republican candidate for the U.S. presidential election, has stated that if elected, he would use methods like waterboarding and 'beyond' to combat the 'Islamic State.' Senator Ted Cruz, Trump's conservative rival in the Republican Party, has also stated that he does not consider waterboarding to be torture. He promised that if elected, he would not use this method 'much,' but added that he would use 'any enhanced interrogation technique necessary to keep the country safe.' John Brennan's opposition to this method comes at a time when, according to law, the U.S. president can appoint a new head of the CIA with Senate approval. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, two leading Democratic candidates for the upcoming presidential election, have condemned the use of torture.
CIA: We Will Not Use Torture Even on Orders from the Next President
John Brennan, the CIA director, declared that the agency will not use torture techniques, including waterboarding, even if ordered by the next U.S. president. This stance contrasts with the views of some Republican candidates, like Donald Trump, who support the reinstatement of such methods. This discussion is significant as it reflects ongoing debates about human rights and interrogation practices in U.S. politics.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
CIA Director John Brennan stated that the agency will not use torture techniques, such as waterboarding, even if ordered by the next U.S. president. This declaration comes amid differing views among presidential candidates on the use of enhanced interrogation methods.
- John Brennan opposes the use of waterboarding and similar techniques.
- Donald Trump and Ted Cruz have expressed support for using enhanced interrogation methods.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The use of torture by the U.S. has been a contentious issue since post-9/11 policies allowed enhanced interrogation techniques, leading to international criticism.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%