Karl Rove explains why CIA waterboarding wasn't torture

Karl Rove explains why CIA waterboarding wasn't torture

Karl Rove says waterboarding can be considered torture — but not in the way the CIA used it.

Critics have pointed out that the U.S. prosecuted and hanged Japanese soldiers who waterboarded American troops in World War II; Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) made that point Sunday on Face the Nation. But the longtime adviser to George W. Bush insisted that while the Japanese form of waterboarding was indeed torture, CIA interrogators made a slight tweak that rendered the procedure legal and humane.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.