U.S. won't tolerate torture, Obama says
The United States will not tolerate torture and will abide by the Geneva Conventions, President-elect Barack Obama said Friday.
Obama was responding to a question about how the international community may view his appointments of Washington veteran Leon Panetta and retired Adm. Dennis Blair as CIA director and national security director, respectively, and whether they signal a reassessment of harsh interrogation techniques.
Of renouncing torture and abiding by the Geneva Conventions regarding detainees, Obama said, I think it is important for us to do that not only because that's who we are, but also, ultimately, it will make us safer and will help in changing hearts and minds in our struggle against extremists.
He said he would speak about his policy toward Iran after he is sworn in Jan. 20, after he discusses it with his security team.
I have said in the past during the course of the campaign that Iran is a genuine threat to U.S. national security,
Obama said. But I have also said that we should be willing to initiate diplomacy as a mechanism to achieve our national security goals.
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