This is an awesome article. I've pulled out some choice quotes, the rest can be read at the link below.

The Fiction Behind Torture Policy

Yeah. I have to call B.S Michael.

This projection is frightening. The success of 24 has destroyed the public's perception of fighting terrorism, torture, and success. I am amazed that policy-makers are taking cues from a retarded TV show.

Here's where our policy-makers fail to bridge the gap between what they imagine they are doing, and what they are actually doing.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/149009

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THE RAPTURE IS NOT AN EXIT STRATEGY

I'm amazed nobody has anything to say about this. Where are you guys?

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THE RAPTURE IS NOT AN EXIT STRATEGY

Most of us live in the real world, we don't have time to pontificate on heady issues such as you've laid out before us. Me, I think it is nonsensical to compare what Americans are accused of doing in the way of torture to the atrocious torture that others are committing througout the world. Me, I say we take strong measures to protect and preserve the freedoms that the U.S. and our allies currently have, even if it's not politically correct. Does one really think that our enemies give a hoot about us or our methods of interrogation. No, they are encouraged by it and most likely have a good laugh, hoping against hope that they would prefer to be interrogated by Americans than their own kind.

To me, the worst thing about this whole misadventure is that we've lost our moral high ground. We can no longer tell other countries that "torture is bad" when we do it ourselves. We signed the Geneva Conventions. Now, we toss the treaty as a matter of expediency.

We did a whole thread on this yesterday. Even the torments McCain undoubtedly endured in 'Nam would not be classified as "torture" under the adminstration's definition of that term.

We fail to see how our actions affect our position. And the rest of the world mocks us as a result. When people like McCain and Romney and Condi say things like "civilized nations do not invade soverign nations in the 21st century," do they think that the rest of the world doesn't RESPOND to that hypocrisy???

We've been living in a post-9/11 vacuum, where the only thing that penetrates is the hubris of Bush and his string-holders.

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"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer."

--President-elect Barack Obama
November 5, 2008

What an ironic statement. You've sacrificed plenty of freedoms for those freedoms. "Politically correct"? You do very quickly pass into buzz words from the right don't you?

You're torturing people; you now hold yourself to a higher standard because why? Its not quite as painful? So you think? Do you even know?

Your enemies do carebtw, just as your side uses the propagnda of enemy torture, so would they. Christ, you think Abu Ghraib didn't 'matter' to them- or increase recruitment? Not to mention how your allies view you, or your people themselves...

Your post is one long generalisation- your final stance of 'our torture isn't as bad as theirs' leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Tell me, what would stop you then form doing exactly what they do? Anything at all? Do you care about extraordinary rendition, something that did happen to the man they mentioned in that article, Habib?

So many words on liberty has been penned, usually in America, yet you guys keep throwing it away. You've lost your moral highground- again- I just hope Obama can get it back for you.

Another politically correct response by another Bush hater. America is not a country of sainthood, we are only human, no better, no worse than others. Do I give a crap about what others may think of us or that they mock us? They already have their opinions about us and no two-bit lollygagging is going to change their thoughts about us. We must be doing something right, I don't hear of people attempting to escape from the U.S. to go elsewhere.

Stop whining and educate yourself about the facts of life here on planet Earth.

So, you want us to preserve freedom, by taking away freedom!!! What a brilliant idea!!! How has no one thought of this before? You could start an entire new political ideology, called bizarro world politics!! Where down is up, and taking away freedom is preserving freedom. Absolutely brilliant!!

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R.I.P. Molly, I miss you every day!!

Im a Tarte, what! you want some of this?


And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. Thomas Jefferson

Boy did you just say a whole mouth full of something true!

We put panties on peoples heads and threaten them with sex. Meanwhile others rape, cut out tongues, break limbs, and actually cut heads off. Yet we must be understanding, sentimental to those madmen's social ineptitudes. We must understand why they hate us b/c afterall it is all our fault, people getting raped, beaten, heads cut off, dropped off buildings, tongues ripped out, limbs broken all b/c we just simply dont understand their culture.

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If I had the option of voting 2000 and 2004 over again, I would still vote Bush.

Yeah, I saw this article when it was printed.
Even more disturbing than people believing that torture accomplishes anything other than making us look like barbarians is the fact that a SCOTUS justice (of the archetype McCain has promised to appoint more of) is citing fiction for his decisions on real life.
I mean... people do that with the bible all the time... but with (*)(*)(*)(*)ing TV?!

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That information is classified and to be given only on a need-to-know basis...

And I do not need to know.

The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.
George Orwell

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Have you ever stood toe to toe with someone that was intent on kicking your arse? C-D-P