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Torture; Another Perspective
By Townie 76
While most will not agree with sentiments of the Economists they offer an interesting perspective on the release of the Torture of Memorandums.
"A pointed objection to George Bush’s policies is not just that they crossed a moral line but that they crossed it to no purpose. Mr Bush’s critics were not confined to bleeding-heart liberals who are even now making a fuss about the rights of a captured Somali pirate. They included a legion, from high-ranking commanders to military lawyers to intelligence operatives, who argued that the techniques were counterproductive. . ."
"There is always a chance that Mr Obama will go too far, replacing Mr Bush’s excessive zeal with excessive timidity. But so far the signs are that he is producing a reasonable balance. He recognises that September 11th 2001 changed the rules of national security. But he also recognises that many of the Bush-era policies were clumsy as well as questionable. The most important comment on Mr Obama’s approach to counter-terrorism so far came on April 20th, from the CIA agents who cheered him to the rafters."
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Comments
I think there is a recognition in the military that the pendulum may have swung a little to the extreme interrogation tactics side especially right after 9/11 - for example in the book "How to Break a Terrorist" by Matthew Alexander. Of course isn't the fear that Clintonian restrictions on intelligence gathering will return and thus create another 9-11 scenario?
Not to mention the legal ramifications for attempting to prosecute those who allegedly did torture? Perhaps it's easier to look back now and judge but would the new administration done any different? Looks like the Dems will use this opportunity as another Bush bashing session while just creating new recruiting pamphlets for AQI and their affiliates.
I think Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State (and Dick Cheney daughter) Liz Cheney does a pretty good job up summing this issue up. Way to go Liz! Courtesy of Patterico's Pontifications via Neptunus Lex
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Some of the comments for that article were, uhm, "interesting".
You're right about one thing: I don't agree with many of the sentiments.