Rush Limbaugh's Morning Update: Criminal!

While Super-Duper Tuesday dominated coverage, news about the war on terror was largely ignored. CIA Director Michael Hayden, testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee, acknowledged three Al-Qaeda terrorists -- Kahlid Sheikh Mohammed, Abu Zubaydah, and Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri -- were subjected to waterboarding shortly after the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Hayden told the committee that waterboarding was used "against these three individuals because of the circumstances at the time. There was a belief that additional catastrophic attacks against the homeland were inevitable... and we had limited knowledge about Al-Qaeda and its workings." Since then, things have changed; we know more, and we don't need to waterboard.

Well, reaction to this was swift, my friends. The Senate's second-ranking Democrat, Dick Turbin, immediately called on the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation. He threatened to hold up a Justice Department nominee if his demand isn't met.

Now, we know that as a result of the CIA interrogations of these Al-Qaeda terrorists, several attacks on America were thwarted. This is not in dispute. But why did we know so little about Al-Qaeda in the first place? Well, a key reason is since the Carter Administration, Democrats have systematically dismantled our intelligence capabilities.

Now Democrats want to punish the Bush Administration and our intelligence agencies for saving countless American lives and doing what was necessary to disrupt Al-Qaeda with criminal prosecutions. If you're looking for criminality, Senator, look in the mirror -- if you can stand it.

Read the Background Material on the Morning Update...
• AP: US Acknowledges Use of Waterboarding