WASHINGTON (AFP)--U.S. President George W. Bush said he hopes his successor, Barack Obama, will carefully weigh keeping controversial interrogation tactics and other policies that his administration put in place to fight the "war on terror."
"I would hope that the team that has the honor of serving the country will take a hard look at the realities of the world and the tools now in place to protect the United States from further attack," Bush said on Fox News Sunday, referring to the next administration.
"I would hope they would take a sober assessment, and I believe they will."
Bush, who will leave office on January 20 when Obama takes over the presidency, said that "we better have tools in place that are legal and that can help us protect the American people from an enemy that still exists."
"And my concern is not for President-elect Obama, because I'm confident that he understands the nature of the world and understands the need to protect America," Bush said of the president-elect, who is under pressure to make a break with the current administration's counter-terrorism policies.
"But I am concerned that America at some point in time lets down her guard. And if we ever do that, the country will become highly vulnerable."
Bush strongly defended his use of presidential authority, despite criticism from lawmakers and rights groups that he overstepped the country's Constitution and permitted the torture of terror suspects after the attacks of September 11, 2001.
"My presidency was defined by the attack on the country and, therefore, I used the powers inherent in the Constitution to defend this country."
He rejected allegations his administration approved the use of torture in questioning terror suspects.
"I firmly reject the word 'torture'," said Bush, adding that his administration had always acted legally and had kept Congress informed.
Some lawmakers disagree, saying while they were notified of counter-terrorism measures their objections were ignored.
Bush said his approach to fighting terror threats, including harsh interrogation tactics, was justified to protect the U.S.
"My view is - is that the techniques ... were necessary and are necessary to be used on a rare occasion to get information necessary to protect the American people."
The tactics produced valuable intelligence when used on the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Bush said.
"We gained good information from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed," he said.
Outgoing vice-president Dick Cheney has confirmed that Mohammed and two other suspects were subjected to "waterboarding" or simulated drowning, which is widely criticized as torture, and that other detainees were exposed to harsh interrogation tactics.
Revelations about the treatment of detainees, secret CIA prisons abroad and warrantless wiretapping sparked fierce disputes during Bush's tenure, with critics accusing the administration of violating U.S. ideals.
The administration's counter-terrorism measures were always carried out with "a legal basis," Bush said. "Otherwise, we would not have done it."
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Publié le 11 janvier 2009 Copyright © 2009 Dowjones