Herman Cain - Guantanamo Bay
South Carolina Debate
On May 5, 2011 Herman Cain participated in the Republican debate in South Carolina. He states that he would support a reinstatement of water-boarding under some circunstances.
CBS Foreign Policy Debate
In November of 2011, Herman Cain participated in the CBS foreign policy debate. He was asked about the Guantanamo Bay and states that he would keep the installation open.
Senator Lindsay Graham: Thank you. A comment first. Thank you all for running for president. I'm proud of each and every one of you. Thank you very much. Three-part question. I hope I can remember all three parts. Within days of taking office, President Obama, by executive order, stopped the CIA from using classified enhanced interrogation techniques that are not water-boarding. There's a presumption that every person at Gitmo, under the Obama administration, should go into civilian court, not military commission. And the Obama administration recently said that any future captors in the war on terror would not go to Gitmo. Would you continue these policies? If you would change them, why?
Scott Pelley: And Mr. Cain, that first question will go to you.
Herman Cain: I absolutely would reverse all three of those policies. I'd keep Gitmo-- Gitmo open. I would definitely allow the military to use enhanced interrogation techniques, because they're terrorists. They are terrorists. Pampering terrorists isn't something that we ought to do. So I anybody would reverse all three of those things that you indicated.