From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

The next Attorney General and waterboarding.

Hello again, I'm Aronaldi, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International,

a daily look at the issues. Americans care about most. The Judiciary Committee

has passed Michael Mukasey onto the full Senate, where he's expected to be confirmed as the next

Attorney General of the United States. Two powerful Democrats gave him the needed majority,

despite his refusal to clarify what he thinks about waterboarding. On to the point, should a medieval

practice be classified as torture?

Would that incriminate U.S. officials all the way up to the White House?

We'll talk to a man who's been through it and taught others how to survive it.

Does it provide reliable information that could save innocent lives?

On reporter's notebook later on, new vehicles for drug smugglers, submarines.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio

International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John

D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Hello again, Warren Alney, back with To the Port. Michael Mukasey's on his way to the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Hello again, Mormon-Aulney, back with To the Poet. Michael Mukasey's on his way to the full Senate for likely confirmation as Attorney General of the United States. But the issue of waterboarding

could still cause him problems. On To the Poet, we'll hear from a man who's been waterboarded

and trained American service people in how to endure it.

If it's torture, would that incriminate high-level U.S. officials?

On reporter's notebook, drug lords in South America are building submarines.

First this news update, at least five members of Afghanistan's parliament were among those killed by a suicide bomber today.

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