ABC News reported on Friday that the CIA has finally banned the use of waterboarding as an interrogation technique. Their report stated tthat the decision was made by Gen. Michael Hayden and was approved by the White House some time in the last year, but never made public. Other officials are neither confirming nor denying the report, though it has been pointed out that Bush had formally agreed to comply with the Geneva Conventions.

Meanwhile, over in the Senate Intelligence Committee, a quiet revolution is occurring. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), appears to have effectively scuttled the nomination of John Rizzo for CIA general counsel. Wyden told the committee last month that he intended to block the nomination indefinitely due to Rizzo's stance on permitting enhanced interrogation techniques, i.e. torture, on terrorism detainees.

The committee has request withdrawal of Rizzo's name in order to avoid a formal negative vote out of respect to his long service to the agency.
(crossposted to ljdemocrats)