Not All of Obama's Nominees are Smart

This from the BBC.com:

CIA nominee decries waterboarding

Mr Panetta also condemned the use of extraordinary rendition

US President Barack Obama's nominee to head the CIA, Leon Panetta, has condemned the interrogation technique "waterboarding" as "torture".

But he made it clear that agents who had carried out waterboarding in the past should not be prosecuted if they believed they were following the law.

The Bush administration approved the practice for at least three terror suspects in 2002 and 2003.

Mr Obama has banned harsh interrogation techniques, including waterboarding.

Hey Leon, quick question: I'm pretty sure that if I walk into a bank and shoot everyone working their in the head and then walked out with all of the money, I would be following the law. So by your thinking, if by chance I am wrong, I should not be prosecuted? Are you for real?

Is all that "negligence of the law" not being an adequate excuse for committing a crime only 70's cop show fantasy?

The United States prosecuted Japanese soldiers in WWII for waterboarding. US soldiers were prosecuted for waterboarding during our invasion of Vietnam in the 60/70s. Bush was alive for the WWII trials and for Vietnam. This is not ancient history.

Waterboarding was designated as illegal by U.S. generals in the Vietnam War.

All nations that are signatory to the United Nations Convention Against Torture have agreed they are subject to the explicit prohibition on torture under any condition.

This man is going to lead our secret soldiers? This man scares me.