Letter: Trump’s backing of waterboarding amounts to sadism
Regarding “President-elect Donald Trump backs waterboarding, and his pick for CIA director has called those who have done it ‘patriots’ not ‘torturers.’ ” (Herald, Nov. 23)
The George W. Bush administration euphemistically called waterboarding and other methods of torture “enhanced interrogation.” There are places in the world where members of that administration cannot go without fear of being arrested and tried for what are crimes against humanity under international law.
Some people learn only by experience. Perhaps those who advocate waterboarding should submit to being waterboarded 183 times, as was done to one of our prisoners, to see if it “enhances” their perspective.
The correct term for anyone who tortures another human being is “sadist.”
Jim Stoffels, Richland
This story was originally published December 16, 2016 at 12:50 AM with the headline "Letter: Trump’s backing of waterboarding amounts to sadism."