Two secret White House memos from 2003 and 2004 have been discovered that explicitly endorsed the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods. The documents, reported on today in The Washington Post by Joby Warrick, were requested by then-CIA Director George Tenet to quell fears within his agency of public and or judicial reprisals should the torture program become public knowledge. Formerly, Justice Department memos had endorsed the interrogation methods conducted by the CIA, but nothing in writing mentioning the program had ever come out of the White House, which worried Intelligence officials afraid of being stuck holding the bag for a program which obviously violated international law.

The revelation that the White House approved the torture methods conducted by the CIA is hardly a surprise to anyone who has watched our supposed leaders over the past several years use every obstructionist tactic known to man to prevent the disclosure of their unlawful methods. However now that a direct link to the Bush Administration has been found, in writing, the next administration and its Justice Department should make no allowances whatsoever for the criminals that disgraced this country with such barbaric behavior. All those involved with these torture programs should be tried and sent to prison if convicted.

You can takepart in ensuring human rights around the globe by checking out Amnesty International.

LINKS:

WaPo: CIA Tactics Endorsed in Secret Memos

Agence France Press: Bush administration gave nod for CIA waterboarding: report

WCBS-TV: Report: White House memos approved waterboarding