Torture violates U.S. law. No rational person would say that waterboarding is not torture. The Bush adminstration has confessed to committing yet another impeachable act: waterboarding. A few years ago, George W. Bush admitted that the government was wiretapping Americans without a warrant, in violation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Violating an American law normally would be grounds for impeachment, if we take the presidential oath to uphold the Constitution seriously.

Bush guffawed when he saw that he could get away with warrantless wiretapping. So he upped the ante. What would happen if we admit to committing acts of torture? Don't say it out loud, said Vice President Cheney. Nah, Bush said, as he gulped another mouthful of Vodka. I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna do it!. "Fine, do whatever you want," Cheney snarled. "No one gives a shit anyway." And Cheny's right.

White House Defends Interrogation Method By JENNIFER LOVEN February 6, 2008

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.

A day earlier, the Bush administration acknowledged publicly for the first time that the tactic was used by U.S. government questioners on three terror suspects. Testifying before Congress, CIA Director Michael Hayden said Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Abu Zubayda and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri were waterboarded in 2002 and 2003.

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.

Hayden banned the technique in 2006 for CIA interrogations, the Pentagon has banned its employees from using it, and FBI Director Robert Mueller said his investigators do not use coercive tactics in interviewing terror suspects.

Senate Democrats demanded a criminal investigation after Hayden's revelation.

Bush personally authorized Hayden's testimony, White House deputy spokesman Tony Fratto said.