Q Mr. President, I wanted to return to the question of torture. What
we've learned from these memos this week is that the Department of
Justice lawyers and the Pentagon lawyers have essentially worked out a
way that U.S. officials can torture detainees without running afoul of
the law. So when you say that you want the U.S. to adhere to
international and U.S. laws, that's not very comforting. This is a
moral question: Is torture ever justified?
THE PRESIDENT: Look, I'm going to say it one more time. If I -- maybe
-- maybe I can be more clear. The instructions went out to our people
to adhere to law. That ought to comfort you. We're a nation of law. We
adhere to laws. We have laws on the books. You might look at those
laws, and that might provide comfort for you. And those were the
instructions out of -- from me to the government.
-- George W. Bush.
"President Bush Holds Press Conference Following the G8 Summit"
Press Conference of the President After G8 Summit
International Media Center, Savannah, Georgia.
Office of the Press Secretary. June 10, 2004.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/06/20040610-36.html