Acid Bath
Only a crisis produces real change.
When that crisis occurs,
the actions that are taken depend on
the ideas that are lying around
--Milton Friedman
______________
While it is a proud moment to see that President Obama has the moral courage to sign an Executive Order rescinding "harsh interrogation methods," it is also sad to realize that it must be officially reaffirmed that the U.S. is a law-abiding nation.
Also, no one calls it "torture" now. It is only known by its euphemism, "harsh interrogation methods". It is rather like the George Carlin skit comparing baseball to football. Let's hope that the current unwillingness to call a spade a spade is due only to the odious nature of the thing.
Ranger was exposed to FOX coverage in a doctor's office (not VA), and one of the patients my age spontaneously said, "The terrorists are not warriors. We should've killed the terrorists instead of capturing them." Well. . .he's got part of it right, but probably without knowing it.
Terrorists of course are criminals, and not warriors. But when he said we should have killed vs. capture them, he was not actually speaking of the operative 9-11 terrorists (who were incinerated upon impact.) Most likely, he is talking of the melange of people the U.S. military is confronting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The "Kill them all, and let God sort them out" mentality.
What was this man thinking? Was he thinking of saving the nation the money it would've cost to bring the perpetrators to trial? Was he regretting the subsequent military adventures? Was he just feeling visceral hatred? Some Americans still do not get it -- maybe most.
My procedure was an acid painting before laser removal of pre-cancer cells. America will be passing through a similar process as the current administration seeks to excise the malignancies laid in during the Bush administration. We wish Obama well in continuing his efforts to help reconstitute the nation. We hope he does not falter.
Possibly a bag of frozen peas on the face will help us feel better through the ordeal.
Also, no one calls it "torture" now. It is only known by its euphemism, "harsh interrogation methods". It is rather like the George Carlin skit comparing baseball to football. Let's hope that the current unwillingness to call a spade a spade is due only to the odious nature of the thing.
Ranger was exposed to FOX coverage in a doctor's office (not VA), and one of the patients my age spontaneously said, "The terrorists are not warriors. We should've killed the terrorists instead of capturing them." Well. . .he's got part of it right, but probably without knowing it.
Terrorists of course are criminals, and not warriors. But when he said we should have killed vs. capture them, he was not actually speaking of the operative 9-11 terrorists (who were incinerated upon impact.) Most likely, he is talking of the melange of people the U.S. military is confronting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The "Kill them all, and let God sort them out" mentality.
What was this man thinking? Was he thinking of saving the nation the money it would've cost to bring the perpetrators to trial? Was he regretting the subsequent military adventures? Was he just feeling visceral hatred? Some Americans still do not get it -- maybe most.
My procedure was an acid painting before laser removal of pre-cancer cells. America will be passing through a similar process as the current administration seeks to excise the malignancies laid in during the Bush administration. We wish Obama well in continuing his efforts to help reconstitute the nation. We hope he does not falter.
Possibly a bag of frozen peas on the face will help us feel better through the ordeal.
Labels: euphemism for "torture", harsh interrogation methods nixed, obama on right track
posted by rangeragainstwar at 9:52 PM
13 Comments:
i'm a big fan of the frozen pea bags. i keep several handy. old joints get creaky.
it always amazed me when they would come up with something and solve all their problems by calling torture "enhanced interrogation" or even "aggressive questioning."
it's torture. the fact that subject is open for debate disgusts me. i would suggest to everyone who argues for the "freedom of action required with hardened targets," to be fucking waterboarded until they puke and cry "uncle." then, just for good measure after crying uncle, make them say "gay sex gives me uncle woodie." torture them long enough they'll say anything. that's what they need to understand. what's said in the dungeon has nothing to do with the truth and everything to do with getting those motherfuckers to stop.
Howdy Jim and Lisa!
The "enemy combatants" who have been housed at GITMO have had far better treatment than they would have received from the Israelis. If they and their attorneys believe they have suffered harshly, I suggest all of the said detainees be transferred to the Angola Penitentiary in the Great State of Louisiana...then we'll let them complain with cause.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_State_Penitentiary
Strange to quote uncle milton, the enemy of the worlds working class.
jo6pac
I totally and completely appreciate your comments and your willingness to comment on LTNIxon's page, which I went to after viewing his foul video.
"Democracy is always up for grabs" is what one of my professors used to like to say.
It's not like after stuff like Wounded Knee and the concentration camps of the PI that we can pretend to be saintedly pure. But this has always been the most fucked up of the disasters that have made up the Phony War on "Terror".
Let 'em go. Every damn one. We've shat our pants on this one and can only hope that the reat of the world forgets that we hung leaders at Nuremburg for ordering just exactly this.
Stay well, Range.
FDChief,
(Which Wounded Knee 19th or 20th?)
The only legal option is to release them if they can't be tried. There is no other way.
MB,
I agree with the waterboarding technique that you advocate. The only problem is, if they actually do get woodies, then does that mean we are waterboarding Republican Senators ;)?
The American public does not understand the concept of torture b/c they haven't seen the things you have or been where you have been. They live in soap opera heaven where torture is a hangnail.
jim
Mad Celt,
Torture is torture is...
The Israeli's situation with Hamas is different from ours with al-Q. I will soon be addressing this issue. Hamas cannot be defeated militarily; al-Qaeda already has been hamstrung.
I'm stretching here: we had a group of crazies in Waco, TX, and we obliterated them. And the Branch Davidians weren't even a threat to a wet noodle. How does this different from the West Bank scenario? Only in scale.
My main concern is for my country. I further suggest that you remember the Angola State Prisoners received a trial with full appeals; no one at Gitmo has.
jim
slow0C1paddler,
Thanks for your support. If it's the Metallica video we think (on Obama), it was crude. One would expect more from one of LT Nixon's caliber (a thinking Republican.) We hope his intent was high sarcasm, though it did not come off well.
jim
jo,
Mr. Friedman was a disaster, but that doesn't preclude culling wit or wisdom (even cautionary tales) from everywhere :)
Aye, let them go.
In fact, give them assistance in rebuilding their lives (I suspect they will need it).
Also watch them (both to make sure the assistance is effective and to see if they start doing stupid stuff.
If they do bad things, prosecute them.
If they don't, pat yourself on the back.
AEL,
We're not gonna hacve to give them aid- they'll clean our clocks in Federal wrongful imprisonment cases.The dollar amount will be substantial .What a state of affairs!
jim
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