Gosh, I wish I had stood up more firmly against our use of torture. I feel quite embarrassed about it. Oh well, at least I can say I never defended the indefensible. I think.
Anyway, the choicest bits:
For the GOP, torture is no longer a "necessary evil." It is a rally cry, a "values" issue like same-sex marriage or abortion. They don't "grudgingly" support torture, they applaud it. They celebrate it. Liz Cheney's unequivocal support for torture methods gleaned from communist China has people begging her to run for office.
[...]
Over the past couple of months, events have conspired to prove the Cheneys wrong. The recently released documents Dick Cheney said would unequivocally prove that torture saved American lives did not. While professional interrogators and military leaders have argued against torture, the apologists have had to rely on anonymous pleadings filtered through the same people who brought us Saddam Hussein's connection to al-Qaeda. A scientific survey recently proved that torture is counterproductive. Despite the fact that Cheney and his daughter have been claiming the Obama administration's abandonment of torture has made America less safe, the past month or so has seen the U.S. eliminate al-Qaeda leader Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan in Somalia and Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud in Afghanistan. In the past week alone, the FBI foiled three bombings, one of which appears to have been a very serious threat.
Wow. Do read the whole thing, of course.
While I agree with Adam that having the support of torture proposed as awesome by a major political party is not such a great development, this gives those of us who are not Republican douchebags a great opportunity to constantly call them out on it. Though, I think we might think strategically as well and wait until the election season next year to spring it on them so it does the most political damage.
It's nice to have choices. On the other hand, if too many Americans agree that torturing people is an awesome idea, we are just simply totally fucked.
[Hat tip: Atrios]
No comments:
Post a Comment