Comments on: Flashback: Bush’s FBI Director Said Torture Didn’t Foil Any Terror Plots

By: Rod

Rod — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 21:49:17 +0000

And check this out. As long as you have torture, and a nasty attitude, like Bush had.. You will always bave War. A War that will never end. And continuing to break our Economy.You understand?
So Lets have some common sense, and treat these people with some respect.So that their remaining crew won’t keep all this confusion going on.

By: Pieceblue

Pieceblue — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 21:42:01 +0000

if you think this is the way to roll the dice. Then you’ve got another thing coming. You digg?
First of all, I think the missionary aspect to all this. Is a gloomy procedure of some kind of likeness to seeing living things suffer.You understand what I’m saying? Not recognizing the fact that, terrorists are trained to deal with torture. They don’t care nothing about dying. They are trained to be martyrs.Everything that has happened to them, they’ve already been through it through drill practice. In a matter of fact, they will thumb their nose at you, spit in your face, and everything. Them people act like they like pain. You digg? so how are you going to get some info. out of somebody like that? They want to die. Cause their belief, is that they are going to a better place. Until you give them life in Prison without any possibility for Parole. Then thats when they are ready to start fighting and trying to break out the Courtroom
But if you want to interrogate somebody do it humanely.And it will teach them how to revert their attitudes and cooperate. But torture will not do it. They are so trained to deal with torture, till they love it.

By: Nardwilly

Nardwilly — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:16:53 +0000

I believe the supporters of torture will sonn be swallowed up by the simple facts. Water boarding is torture. The USA has prosecuted people for waterboarding. This fact will be repeated the more the usbjesct is discussed. The POTUS should not lead this fight. It is up to the citizens to demand accountability.

Write your reprensentatives. I am writing mine.

By: Laura

Laura — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:46:11 +0000

The ends NEVER justify the means, period.

By: afgail

afgail — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 04:38:55 +0000

Murder works too. Does that mean we engage in illegal behavior because it might work? That means Bernie Madoff shouldn’t have been prosecuted for stealing his investor’s money. Because it really worked for him. Crime only works if you don’t prosecute the criminal.

By: John

John — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:35:42 +0000

Maybe we should let the Jordanians or the Turks or maybe the Egyptians have these people.

and Hey – why is Guantanamo’s prison camp still open? Also – hey Bob – I’m with you on the TSA – what a bunch of fricking autobots.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:39:54 +0000

I’m still left puzzled by Cheney’s actual position.

On the one hand he constantly claims that “enhanced interrogation techniques” are NOT torture (don’t forget that he actually still BELIEVES all the **** John Yoo wrote) while…

…on the other hand, he seems to be making the implicit argument that it IS torture, but that it’s okay because sometimes it supposedly works.

Cheney can’t have it both ways.

Is it, or is it not, torture?

(Maybe we fall into the trap of thinking that Cheney & Co. actually accept that it is torture, and are just scrambling with these excuses – their argument still rests on claiming that what happened at Guantanamo, and CIA black sites around the world is NOT torture. That is what this argument is about, and Cheney doesn’t have a leg to stand on.)

By: Chameo

Chameo — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:20:45 +0000

There were reports this morning that neither Rumsfeld nor Powell were in on the conversation about torture till very late in the game.

Bernie Latham quoted:
“For many in the United States, torture still stands as a marker of political commitment—of a willingness to “do anything to protect the American people,”

Remember when that “willingness to do anything to protect the American people” meant being willing to BE tortured?

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:33:55 +0000

Torture didn’t foil any plots – and the TSA has not prevented any hijackings.

So – why do I have to participate in that stupid security theater at every blessed airport?

The TSA stupidity surely costs a lot of money.

Hey – why is Gitmo still open?

By: Jack

Jack — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:46:18 +0000

Actually, it wouldn’t surprise me if they cut Powell out of some of the key meetings. They’d probably be concerned that he’d go rogue on them. We had something very similar to this in the Adscam scandal of the Chretien government, where the finance minister (and main Quebec lieutenant) of the PM was kept out of the loop about the marketing money and party kickbacks in his backyard of Montreal, as he’d have been likely to have stopped it and/or exposed it.

By: Bernie Latham

Bernie Latham — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:51:38 +0000

Greg…in answer to your rhetorical question there…yes, though to the degree that they can have advocates do this task, the better.

By: Bernie Latham

Bernie Latham — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:49:05 +0000

“For many in the United States, torture still stands as a marker of political commitment—of a willingness to “do anything to protect the American people,” a manly readiness to know when to abstain from “coddling terrorists” and do what needs to be done. Torture’s powerful symbolic role, like many ugly, shameful facts, is left unacknowledged and undiscussed. But that doesn’t make it any less real. On the contrary.”
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22614
I hope you guys are reading Danner’s reporting on all of this as I don’t think there is anything around that surpasses it in detail and in clarity of thought.

By: sgwhiteinfla

sgwhiteinfla — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:40:14 +0000

Mike
.
I believe he said he wanted it to all get out in the open and he was confident it would but I don’t think he mentioned the memos.

By: mike from Arlington

mike from Arlington — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:14:29 +0000

Yeah. I saw that interview. But since you said he wasn’t briefed on torture, I’m confused. If Condolezza Rice showed up as approving them, whatever that means, I’m surprised Powell wasn’t involved.
.
I’m not saying he is lying but I’m surprised with such an important issue they would leave him out. He was there until ‘04 which is after the date much of this stuff happened.
.
Not saying Cheney isn’t able to squash himself but if Powell came out with an opinion of say, he didn’t feel releasing the documents endangered American’s, it would go a long way with a lot of people. Even though many Republicans threw him under the bus after Limbaugh decided Powell voted for Obama because he is black, there are still a big number of Republicans that hold Powell in high esteem.
.
Of course if Powell came out and stated he shouldn’t have done it then it would look horrible I think but Powell is a sane individual I feel and can come at this from a non partisan point of view.

By: sgwhiteinfla

sgwhiteinfla — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:05:15 +0000

Mike from Arlington
.
Rachel Maddow already asked him and he was VERY uncomfortable but said he wasn’t briefed on torture.