Republican hopefuls divided on ‘torture’

The Republican contenders for nomination in the United States presidential race split at the weekend over whether waterboarding would be an effective tool in the war on terror.

Mr Cain said he did not support torture, but would trust military leaders to determine what that meant. He would return to waterboarding because he does not see it as torture.

Ms Bachmann says she supported the practice, while Mr Paul said it was illegal.

Mr Huntsman said waterboarding diminished US standing in the world and undercuts the nation’s values.

Republican contender Mitt Romney was not directly asked about the issue but added he would use whatever means necessary to protect America.

Later, three of the contenders said they would continue to hold terror suspects at the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Mr Cain, former senator Rick Santorum and Ms Bachmann all said they wanted to keep the prison open, allow the use of controversial techniques to interrogate terrorists and use military courts to try the terrorism suspects who are held there.

Governor Rick Perry said the US should continue to use enhanced interrogation techniques to save American lives overseas.

President Barack Obama has been trying to close the prison since the early months of his presidency.

Meanwhile, Mr Obama said he and Chinese president Hu Jintao wanted to ensure that Iran lives by “international rules and norms” amid fresh allegations that Tehran is conducting nuclear weapons work in secret.

Mr Obama’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart on Saturday followed a lengthy discussion with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific summit in Hawaii.