CHENEY: Everything that was done in this program, as has been laid out and described before, are tactics that our own people go through in SERE training.
Thanks to Thinkprogess.org for the video!
SERE is an acronym for Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape. The program was developed as a way to prepare our soldiers for the possibility of capture. Soldiers are subjected to simulated interrogations to prepare them for what could happen. This includes the use of questionable and torturous techniques - so that our soldiers are prepared for what the "bad guys" do.
So let me spell this out for Ms. Cheney - if you are going to say that we are not "bad guys" then we can not be seen doing in anger what the "bad guys do". Got it?
How hard is that concept for the Hannitys, O'Reillys, Limbaughs, Becks, Scarboroughs to understand? Do they have such a low opinion of our nation that they feel this isn't something to be ashamed of? Or are they so scared that something might happen to them or their gated communities that they are blind with fear, rage and hatred? Or is it that they are just perverse fratboys that get off on the idea of humiliating, breaking down and hurting another human?
These memos illustrate a battle for the soul of our nation.
Either you believe that we must rise above the tactics of madmen and be what we say we are.
Or you feel that the ends justify the means, no matter how barbaric.
Which side are you on?
Awww man...I wrote this whole long comment, went to preview it and lost it. What is this, my first day on blogger?! LOL
ReplyDeleteIn brief, I am on the fence about this issue. I totally don't agree with torture, I certainly think its wrong, and I agree that America should rise above and maybe even set the tone for a new way of obtaining information. However, there are some deeply disturbed humans out there that don't care about others and are plotting. And sometimes this is the only way to save thousands of innocent lives. Horrible to have say.....I wonder if there are other techinques that could be just as effective. Again, I'm on the fence, and my natural instinct is that I wouldn't want to hurt anyone, esp via torture.
By the way, did you know that other countries do much worse than waterboarding, like drilling into people with machines! Just awful.
Remember my blurb about the Frank Pastori show? Here's a link to his blog; there are some resources from this week's show about waterboarding.
http://www.kkla.com/LocalHosts/4/