No Evidence of Torture (editorial)

[grahamhgreen]

Source: Washington post subsidiary The Root

Let me be clear: We all oppose torture.

However, to blindly oppose and broadcast lawful interrogation techniques which were used to successfully protect the American people and to extract valuable information to prevent further harm to us is dangerous at best.

................

My fellow Americans, cutting off ears and noses, and beheading people is torture. I have no problem with people who disagree with President Bush or his policies. I have no problem with those Americans who opposed the war in Iraq. That is their right.
...............

However, I worry that we are crossing a dangerous line when we advocate investigating and/or prosecuting high-ranking government lawyers and Bush administration officials (which logically would have to include President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice).Clearly, the legally authorized (and signed off on by senior congressional officials) interrogation actions that were taken by top leaders in our government from 2002-2006 were done with the interest of Americans’ safety in mind. Lawyers at the Justice Department and at the White House are sworn to uphold the law and to act in “good faith” as they faithfully interpret the laws to the best of their abilities—do we now prosecute them for doing just that?

Read more: http://www.theroot.com/views/no-evidence-torture

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This article made me sick.

"Sophia A. Nelson" is a high powered Republican political operative, lawyer, blogger, etc, and a torture advocate.


Clearly, restricting one's ability to breathe is torture.

Innocent people were tortured.

These crimes will be prosecuted.


Is advocating for war crimes a war crime?

[louis-t]

1. "Cutting off someone's head is torture"??

:crazy:

[endarkenment]

2. That's the complete list it seems.

"cutting off ears and noses, and beheading people is torture"

Anything else: not torture. Unless of course one looks at the laws, the legal precedents, or uses common sense and applies the common understanding of the word 'torture' to the 'interrogation techniques' we used.

[Stellabella]

3. Well, the answer is easy.

Just perform all of the 'enhanced interrogation techniques' on the writer. Over a 1-2 year period, with no guarantees that he/she will survive. Then ask the question again.

Advocating for war crimes might not be a war crime, but it's certainly immoral. And unAmerican.

[uberllama42]

4. "Saved millions of American lives"? Doesn't pass the laugh test

Apparently, in this lady's mind a dozen or so dirty bomb attacks were averted by torturing people. I don't think even Dick Cheney is claiming that waterboarding saved us from that level of destruction.

[struggle4progress]

5. Seems to be a nice lady and an airhead. Talks here about "evidence" -- but provides none

[Doctor_J]

6. She needs to be waterboarded, on public TV, for 30 minutes

then maybe she'll rethink this tripe.

[ixion]

7. No, Ms. Nelson, we crossed that "dangerous" line when we opted to torture

Prosecuting those who tortured in our name is stepping back across that line.

This blogger provides an excellent example of backwards neocon logic.