US: Trump’s National Security Choice Won’t Rule Out Torture

(Washington) – President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn for National Security Advisor demonstrates a deeply disturbing disregard for human rights principles and the laws of war, Human Rights Watch said today. Flynn has repeatedly endorsed proposals by Trump that would constitute torture and other war crimes.

“Michael Flynn has shown a stunning contempt for the Geneva Conventions and other laws prohibiting torture,” said Sarah Margon, Washington director. “By offering this key post to Flynn, President-elect Trump is undermining US commitments to international laws that have been broken to America’s detriment.”

On several occasions Trump has said he would allow United States personnel to commit waterboarding and other methods of torture. In November 2015, he said at a rally that he would approve waterboarding “in a heartbeat” because “only a stupid person would say it doesn’t work. If it doesn’t work, they deserve it anyway, for what they’re doing.” In February 2016, he said: “Don’t tell me it doesn’t work. Torture works, OK folks?” And at another event the same month he said that as president he would “immediately” resume waterboarding: “Some people say it’s not actually torture – let’s assume it is. But they asked me the question: ‘What are you going to do on waterboarding?’ Absolutely fine, but we should go much stronger than waterboarding. That’s the way I feel.”

After a debate in which Trump indicated he might order the US military to break the law on interrogation tactics, including waterboarding, his campaign issued a statement noting, “I do … understand that the United States is bound by laws and treaties and I will not order our military or other officials to violate those laws and will seek their advice on such matters.” Shortly thereafter, however, Trump then suggested he would push to change laws that prohibit waterboarding and other interrogation techniques clearly associated with torture – even though longstanding international human rights and humanitarian law prohibit the use of torture and other ill-treatment under any circumstances.

Flynn has repeatedly refused to rule out Trump’s proposed use of torture and other war crimes. “I am a believer in leaving as many options on the table right up until the last possible minute,” Flynn told Al Jazeera in May.

On proposals by Trump to target for attack the families of suspected terrorists, Flynn said he “would have to see what the circumstances of that situation were.” Asked again by The Intercept in July about Trump’s support for torture and targeting suspected terrorists’ family members, he said: “Here’s what a guy like Donald Trump is doing: He’s basically saying, ‘Hey, look, all options are on the table,’ and being very unpredictable in the face of a very determined enemy.”

“Instead of adding proponents of torture to his administration, Trump should unequivocally renounce the use of torture under any circumstances,” Margon said.