Respectfully submitted by Lawrence E. Rafferty (rafflaw)-Weekend Contributor
This past week’s news reports of the Senate report on the CIA Torture program were both distressing and enlightening. I was dismayed to not only read what the full extent of the CIA’s Torture program was, but also when I read pundits and former CIA officials claim that rectal rehydration was merely a medical procedure! I was further discouraged when commenters on this blog made claims that waterboarding and other torture tactics were either necessary or what the devils deserved.
Very few pundits or commenters seem to care if the so-called Enhanced Interrogation techniques were legal or ethical when the CIA resorted to them shortly after 9/11. This “debate” over the actions taken in our name by the CIA has gone from a report based on the CIA’s own words to denials that the techniques were torture, to claims that great intelligence value was gained using the torture and claims that it was a biased report written by Democrats.
When we were attacked on September 11, 2001, most of the world was supporting the United States in its hours of grief and anger. What happened after the attacks quickly turned the tide of world opinion against us and created new enemies. When the CIA delved into its historical “playbook” to devise black sites and brutal interrogation techniques, the result, in my opinion, was a loss of our ethical and legal bearings that are still out of whack today.
When our greatest generation fought enemies stronger and just as brutal as what we face today, our forces were held to a higher standard than the enemy we were fighting. The idea that America does not torture or mistreat its prisoners or enemies is not a new one. It dates back at least to when General George Washington decided that British regulars and paid mercenaries fighting for the British were not to be mistreated in our detention facilities.
He made that decision knowing what too many of our soldiers had experienced under the hands of the British forces. We were supposed to be better than our enemies.
When the CIA delved into the black sites and torture techniques, another US agency, the FBI balked and questioned the tactics being practiced by the CIA. The FBI was gaining valuable information from al Qaeda operative, Abu Zubaydah, after his capture in March of 2002, but that all changed when he was put into isolation for 47 days.
“The Senate report describes the F.B.I. questioning — both in the hospital and later at the black site — as successful. Intelligence reports indicate he provided valuable information, but denied knowing anything about plots against America. But agency officials believed he was holding out. In response, Mr. Mitchell offered a menu of interrogation options.
While C.I.A. and Justice Department lawyers debated the legality of the tactics, the report reveals, Mr. Zubaydah was left alone in a cell in Thailand for 47 days. The Senate report asserts that isolation, not resistance, was the reason he stopped talking in June. Mr. Soufan said he was livid when he read that. “What kind of ticking-bomb scenario is this if you can leave him in isolation for 47 days?” he said.
For three weeks in August 2002, Mr. Zubaydah was questioned using the harshest measures available, including waterboarding. But the Senate report says he never revealed information about a plot against the United States. The C.I.A. concluded he had no such information.” New York Times
The CIA has used harsh interrogation and torture during past wars and conflicts and eventually the agency was brought under control. Waterboarding is torture, no matter what name it is given. Isolation, rectal rehydration, sleep deprivation, to name a few, are torture. We have prosecuted past enemies for waterboarding and even some of our soldiers who crossed the legal and moral line.
Why is it now only a crime if our enemies do it to us? Will we regain the soul of America again and finally get past partisan grievances to retake the moral standing of our nation?
We talk often on this blog about the rule of law. Whether it is a President who is grabbing more power for the Executive Branch or citizens of color who seemingly are undervalued by our Justice system. An argument can be made that ever since money starting taking control of our government, we have lost our rule of law because the wealthy and powerful seem to be immune to prosecution. Does the CIA stand above the rule of law?
Will the CIA be brought under control? Will government officials who authorized the torture and those that carried it out and those that refused to prosecute it be brought to justice? I submit that if we do not get control over the CIA our collective souls will continue to suffer in our eyes and in the eyes of the world. As Ali H. Soufan, the former FBI interrogator mentioned earlier says, our actions have consequences.
“‘We played into the enemy’s hand,” said Ali H. Soufan, a former F.B.I. agent who clashed with the C.I.A. over its interrogation tactics. “Now we have American hostages in orange jumpsuits because we put people in orange jumpsuits.”’ New York Times It is an overused phrase, but it fits here:
“The whole world is watching.”
Only we can resurrect the soul of America. We are better than torture. At least we used to be.
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Olly,
Jesus didn’t puree the loaves and fish only to force feed the people on the mount via enema, did he?
Max-1 – since we only have his followers word for the loaves and fishes thing, how do we know there wasn’t a cover up of the mass enema? Wouldn’t be the first time underlings covered up for the boss.
BTW, the Sermon on the Mount probably did not take place. It is a collection of parables he spoke during his teaching and just put there for convenience. That is why when you see the Sermon in a movie, it looks so stupid.
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
— Mother Teresa
Max,
Now that you all are onboard with this whole “Rule of Law” thing; will you as aggressively support the Professor in the lawsuit against this administration?
http://www.laprogressive.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/american-torture-700.jpg
Is THIS who we are now?
Olly,
Who would Jesus torture?
Max-1 –
The Spanish Inquisition comes to mind.
Olly
The barbaric acts of one can NEVER be used to excuse the other’s barbaric acts. What ISIS is doing is wrong. PERIOD. To use what they’re doing as justification for our misdeeds is also wrong. It is the old adage; Two wrongs make a right. They do not. Mahatmas Gandhi said, “An eye for an eye only makes the world blind.” We’re blind to our own sins…
Torture is torture no matter the people who commit such barbaric acts.
While you consider those what-if’s, I can tell you for certain the baby girl laying on the tile floor without her head didn’t survive; oh, and her only crime was being a Christian.
Olly,
Please.
Annie,
Upwards of 100.
There is even a list of missing… “never to be found” CIA detainees.
This was from two years ago.
http://www.propublica.org/article/at-least-20-cia-prisoners-still-missing
A perforated intestine and the resulting peritonitis wouldn’t be survivable in those conditions. Who knows how many really died at the hands of the torturers.
Inga – governments are remarkable record keepers. ‘They will know exactly how many were killed. If the Democrats thought they could have made the report worse they certainly would have, don’t you think. Geez, get a grip.
Who did they torture? Those people were executed. Quite a different thing.
Olly,
Are you condoning RAPE because it is preferably more survivable than…
How about keeping a man chained to a cement floor after being given an ice bath several times who then dies from exposure and hypothermia?
Is rape still more preferable because at least, it is survivable?
Max-1 – most would say the answer to your question is yes for most. I can survive rape, I cannot survive being killed.
Olly,
You never answered my question in retort to your, ” I simply don’t want them off the table if they can save even one life.”
Who’s lives did ISIS save?
Survivable and quite humane compared to methods employed by our enemy. Additionally, We MIGHT employ those methods IF necessary; they employ their methods for inspiration.
Olly
I might suggest that there IS a difference between consensual sex and being strapped down unwillingly when being penetrated.
What would you call the latter?
Olly,
Was George Washington incorrect?
Got it; just bondage.
Olly,
I’m not into snuff porn.
I’ve seen plenty of what people can do to other people.
Olly,
I think America is better than what we’ve often accused the “bad guys” of.
Don’t you?
Here’s the link Max. Some images are extremely graphic.
http://www.catholic.org/news/international/middle_east/story.php?id=56481
Olly
Read the report.
The ticking time bomb scenario?
47 days in solitary is NOT imminent.