Ben Cardin: “I cannot accept Judge Mukasey's answer on waterboarding. As my colleagues have said, waterboarding is an interrogation…”

“I cannot accept Judge Mukasey's answer on waterboarding. As my colleagues have said, waterboarding is an interrogation technique that simulates death by drowning. The original question that was asked Judge Mukasey on the second day of the confirmation hearings asked specifically about waterboarding. He didn't really answer the question. I must tell you, I gave him the benefit of the doubt on that question. He indicated that he may not have been familiar with what waterboarding is. I found that difficult to believe, but okay. He would have a chance to reflect upon it, be able to look at the historical information on waterboarding, and we asked him a written question followup as to whether he would comment on the interrogation technique of waterboarding. The question was asked. As waterboarding is generally known, it has been used for centuries. Judge Mukasey would not give us a direct answer as to whether waterboarding was torture and prohibited under U.S. law.”