In defense of enhanced interrogation techniques, Vice President Dick Cheney told ABC News, on December 18, 2005, ” ‘The rule is whether or not it shocks the conscience… Now, you can get into a debate about what shocks the conscience and what is cruel and inhuman. And to some extent, I suppose that’s in the eye of the beholder. But I believe, and we think, it’s important to remember that we are in a war against a group of individuals, a terrorist organization, that did, in fact, slaughter 3,000 innocent Americans on 9/11, that it’s important for us to be able to have effective interrogation of these people when we capture them.’ ”
– Peter Baker, Days of Fire, Pages 435-436