Waterboarding

Waterboarding is an interrogation technique, considered by many to be a form of torture, used to obtain information, coerce confessions, punish or intimidate.¹

Fast Facts

1. Form of torture
2. Dates back to the 1500's ²
3. Used in the Spanish Inquisition, World War II and the Vietnam War
4. Banned by U.S. Military in 2006
5. President Bush vetoed bill to ban practice in 2008
6. CIA has used this procedure since 2005

How It Works

The individual is usually immobilized then water is poured over his or her face to simulate drowning. It elicits the gag reflex, and can make the subject believe his or her death is imminent while not causing physical evidence of torture.

Debates

A debate began in late 2007 over whether waterboarding should be officially considered torture, after it had been revealed that the CIA had used the practice as recently as 2005. The practice was banned by the U.S. Military in 2006, however the military rules do not cover the CIA.

In February 2008, the U.S. Congress passed a bill to ban the practice, however President Bush vetoed the bill in March 2008.

Polls

A poll released November 6, 2007, asked Americans whether they think waterboarding is a form of torture. 69 percent, said yes; 29 percent said no. ³

Another poll asked whether the U.S. Government should be allowed to use the procedure to get information from suspected terrorists. 58 percent said no; 40 percent said yes. ³

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