Question

Why did proponents of the torture memo believe that waterboarding was an acceptable interrogation technique?

They argued that waterboarding was used in multiple conflicts throughout the twentieth century.

They argued that waterboarding was not considered torture in countries like Iraq, so could be used by the United States.

They argued that the president had the authority to do whatever he deemed necessary to get information in the global war on terrorism.

They argued that Congress had not specifically outlawed waterboarding, so it should be upheld as a useful tactic.

Answer 1

Waterboarding is a form of torture, more specifically a type of water torture, in which water is poured over a cloth covering the face and breathing passages of an immobilized captive, causing the individual to experience the sensation of drowning. Waterboarding can cause extreme pain, dry drowning, damage to lungs, brain damage from oxygen deprivation, other physical injuries including broken bones due to struggling against restraints, lasting psychological damage, and death.[1] Adverse physical consequences can manifest themselves months after the event, while psychological effects can last for years.[2]

In the most common method of waterboarding, the captive's face is covered with cloth or some other thin material, and the subject is immobilized on his/her back at an incline of 10 to 20 degrees.[3] Torturers pour water onto the face over the breathing passages, causing an almost immediate gag reflex and creating the sensation for the captive that he is drowning.[4][5][6] Vomitus travels up the esophagus, which can then be inhaled. Victims of waterboarding are at extreme risk of sudden death due to the aspiration of vomitus.

Answer 2

They argued that the president had the authority to do whatever he deemed necessary to get information in the global war on terrorism.