White House defends torturing suspects

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House on Wednesday defended the use of the interrogation technique known as waterboarding, saying it is legal -- not torture as critics argue -- and has saved American lives. President Bush could authorize waterboarding for future terrorism suspects if certain criteria are met, a spokesman said. Waterboarding involves strapping a suspect down and pouring water over his cloth-covered face to create the sensation of drowning. It has been traced back hundreds of years, to the Spanish Inquisition, and is condemned by nations around the world.http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-White-House-Torture.html?scp=5&sq=Waterboarding%20CIA&st=nyt#