White House Gaggle

By Ellen Ratner
White House Gaggle
October 4, 2007
Briefer: Dana Perino
By: Ellen Ratner

Schedule:

The President is meeting with the leader of the Parliamentary Majority of Lebanon today and has a television interview this afternoon and then will have the traditional Iftar dinner tonight with American Muslim women in attendance.

NY Times article on harsh techniques:

Dana said that the US keeps up with the law and with the US’s International obligations mentioning several times the goal of protecting US citizens. Dana said that the December 2004 opinion on torture is politically available. She said that additional opinions on specific applications were issued and were classified saying that opinions in 2005 were more specific and that this was not "apples and oranges". In terms of the specific techniques now she was "not going to comment". Dana said again that "this country does not torture". Dana then defended Steven Bradbury who heads the Office of Legal Counsel at the Justice Department.; As one of the most "decent patriotic Americans". `

Asked if it was possible to change the definitions of torture, Dana said that she did not believe it is possible. The reason, she said, that we don’t provide interrogation techniques is that Al-Qaeda will train to interrogation techniques. Perino was asked about idea that you can hold some people outside of the USA so that you do not violate US law by certain techniques. She responded that the US does not torture here or anywhere. She also said that "You don’t hand over your game book to the opposing team" and "just because it is printed in the New York Times doesn’t mean that we should talk about it publicly". Asked about Congressional involvement and knowledge she suggested turning it over to the Justice Department.

Note: At 11:20 EST the White House delivered a statement to WH booths that concerning legal guidance for interrogation. The press release says that any advice that the Justice Department would have provided would be fully consistent with the legal standards articulated in the December 2004 memorandum.

Korea:

Dana said that in the six party agreement "we want to normalize relations with North and South Korea".

California’s divestiture of pension funds in Iran:

Dana said states make their own policy.