WASHINGTON, April 26 (UPI) -- Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., says the legal justification for harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists was faulty but did not warrant criminal prosecution.
McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation" that Bush administration officials may have given bad legal advice, but they should not face charges.
"It is well known what happened, but are you going to prosecute people for giving bad legal advice?" McCain asked.
McCain said going after former Bush administration officials might "settle some old political scores" but would not accomplish much else. He said the memos had already been condemned by the "court of public opinion."
McCain said President Barack Obama added "gasoline to the fire" by releasing the memos used to justify waterboarding and other rough tactics and urged the nation to instead remain focused on the unfinished war against terror in Iraq and Afghanistan.
