Trump backtracks on torture, targeted killings

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump abruptly backtracked Friday on vows to torture terror suspects and kill their families, saying he would not order the US military to break international laws if elected president.

In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, the Republican White House frontrunner said he would ‘use every legal power that I have to stop these terrorist enemies’.

“I do, however, 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. I will not order a military officer to disobey the law.”

Trump’s new position stands in contrast to remarks he made at a Republican debate less than 24 hours earlier, when he doubled down on previous pledges that, if elected, he would do ‘a hell of a lot worse’ than waterboarding and said he had ‘no problem’ with the targeting of terror suspects’ families.

“Can you imagine these people, these animals over in the Middle East, that chop off heads, sitting around talking and seeing that we’re having a hard problem with waterboarding?” he said at the debate, echoing several similar statements he had made in recent months.

His tough talk resonated with supporters, tapping into frustrations over the pace and rules of engagement of the US-led campaign against the Islamic State group and other jihadists.

But the rhetoric drew broad condemnation from elsewhere, with observers saying the Pentagon would probably refuse any illegal orders.

“Those specific orders are illegal and you will not find lawyers to present a compelling case that will go the other way,” Peter Feaver, a professor of political science and public policy at Duke University, told AFP.

Feaver, who served in national security positions under former presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush, joined dozens of members of the Republican national security community signing an open letter this week slamming Trump’s vision of American power. — AFP