Amid brutal beheadings of western hostages by the IS, Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump Sunday called for tougher measures against terrorists asserting that if elected he would support the controversial “waterboarding” technique for interrogation of suspects.
“Certainly waterboarding at a minimum. They’re chopping off heads of Christians and many other people in the Middle East. They’re chopping heads off,” Trump told ABC News in an interview, a day after he performed well during the last GOP presidential debate in New Hampshire.
“They laugh at us when they hear that we’re not going to approve waterboarding, and then they will have a James Foley (US hostage) and others where they cut off their heads. I have no doubt that it does work in terms of information and other things, and maybe not always, but nothing works always. But I have no doubt that it works,” he said to a question.
“But, more importantly, when they’re chopping off the heads of people, and innocent people in most cases, beyond waterboarding is fine with me,” said Trump who is leading in national polls.
As per the latest polls, he is slated to win the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday.
Trump in another interview on CNN asserted that such harsh techniques would be a very good tool against terrorists.
“I would absolutely authorise something beyond waterboarding. And believe me, it will be effective. If we need information you have our enemy cutting heads off of Christians and plenty of others, by the hundreds, by the thousands,” Trump said.
“You have to do it that way. And I’m not sure everybody agrees with me. I guess a lot of people don’t. We are living in a time that’s as evil as any time that there has ever been.
You know, when I was a young man, I studied Medieval times.
That’s what they did, they chopped off heads. That’s what we have,” he said.
“We’re going to do things beyond waterboarding perhaps, if that happens to come. But when you have conditions like that,
I would say absolutely, I would approve waterboarding and if you go beyond it, I’m OK with that,” Trump said when he was asked “So we’re going to chop off heads…” on the brutal executions by the Islamic State (IS) terror group.
Trump said he hopes to win the New Hampshire primary.
“I picked up a lot of delegates in Iowa. And in New Hampshire, I think I’m going to do very well. I have a great relationship between the vets and all of the people of New Hampshire. They just seem to be very positive for me. They have known me for a long time. And they’re great people. I think I’m going to do very well in New Hampshire,” he said.
