Article

2005-11-07 Terror Networks & Islam

Mark Bowden ("Black Hawk Down" author) On The Thorny Issue of Torture

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Posted by Captain America 2005-11-07 11:43|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Bowden is a pragmatist but he must not be aware that McCain wants to also rule out CIA interrogations.

Moreover, the military code book that McCain is pushing has yet to be written. Can you imagine what kind of political bull shit would be stepped into in crafting this code book?

Finally, rules are meant to be broken under certain circumstances. A rule book does nothing but set up a punishment guideline for preventing someone from using wise judgment in the "ticking timebomb" scenario.

We should have a rational debate on intelligence. But as the Commander In Chief demonstrates, who can anticipate the liberal freakozids to be logical?

Posted by Captain America 2005-11-07 12:00|| 2005-11-07 12:00|| Front Page Top

#2 Torture those bastards till their gut come out!

Posted by bigjim-ky 2005-11-07 14:48|| 2005-11-07 14:48|| Front Page Top

#3 Article: The point the White House is missing here is that even with important captives like Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, official authorization for severe interrogation is not necessary. Just as there is no way to draw a clear line between coercion and torture, there is no way to define, a priori, circumstances that justify harsh treatment. Any attempt to codify it unleashes the sadists and leads to widespread abuse. Interrogators who choose coercive methods would, and should, be breaking the rules.

What Bowden is missing is that this bill would criminalize torture carried out under ticking time bomb situations. If one president does not prosecute, another one certainly can - or a special prosecutor can be appointed who will prosecute. Maybe selected journalists like Bowden should agree to carry out any torture that is necessary, thus relieving government officials of criminal liability. Fact is that the FBI had Moussaoui (the 20th hijacker) in custody for weeks before 9/11, with the knowledge that that he wanted to learn how to fly airplanes, but not how how to take off or land. If they had tortured him, would 3,000 people in the Pentagon and the World Trade Centers be alive today? But the FBI did not, because no government employee is going to risk losing his pension, his liberty and his reputation by carrying out an act for which he will be held criminally liable. Who's going to raise his children and pay their bills?

Posted by Elmenter Snineque1852 2005-11-07 22:49|| 2005-11-07 22:49|| Front Page Top

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