Rice Defends Administration's Interrogation Methods

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended the Bush administration's policies on the interrogation of terrorism suspects Sunday, saying former President George W. Bush would not have authorized anything illegal.

"He was also very clear that we would do nothing -- nothing -- that was against the law or against our obligations internationally," Rice said during an appearance at a Washington school.

A Senate Intelligence Committee report released in April showed Rice was among top Bush advisers who approved the CIA's use of waterboarding -- a technique considered a form of torture for centuries -- on terrorism suspects in its custody. Recently released Bush administration memos showed Justice Department officials argued that waterboarding, sleep deprivation and other coercive practices did not violate U.S. laws against torture.

The disclosures have led to calls for investigations of former Bush administration officials. But Rice said Bush "was only willing to authorize policies that were legal in order to protect the country" after al Qaeda's September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.

"I hope people understand that it was a struggle, it was a difficult time," she said. "We were all terrified of another attack on this country because September 11 was the worst day of my life in government -- watching 3,000 Americans die because these people attacked us." But she added, "Even under those most difficult circumstances, the president was not prepared to do something illegal." - CNN News Story

This is one of those Damned if you do, Damned if you don't. I personally don't happen to believe that anything that I have read in the memos constitutes wrong doing on the part of anyone involved. However, even if you do call it torture, what do you do. You are in custody of someone that you know has information about a possible attack. If you don't do anything more and an attack happens, then everyone will be attacking you for not doing everything in your power to stop it. If you do something and stop an attack or get information then you are attacked for possible torture. Give me a break.