Posted on 12/17/2005 6:57:41 AM PST by PlainOleAmerican
The International Guardian reads "The White House bowed to international and congressional pressure on Thursday and abandoned its opposition to Senate legislation prohibiting the use of cruel, inhuman or degrading interrogation methods of detainees in US custody around the world."
"We've sent a message to the world that the United States is not like the terrorists," Senator McCain said, sitting next to the president in the Oval Office on Thursday. "This will help us enormously in winning the hearts and minds of the people throughout the world in winning the war on terror." Really--How?
Clearly focused more on the political PR war than the real war against international terrorism itself, McCain and Co. have pressured the Bush administration into sending a clear message to terrorists everywhere, on behalf of the temporarily free world.
That message? Fear not Mr. & Mrs. Terrorist… No matter how deadly your intentions, how demented your methods, how deranged your deplorable acts of inhumane terror, there is a limit to how far we will go to defeat you. We will not engage in offensive behavior to foil your plans. We will not treat you as you have and will continue treating us. We are better than that and we are willing to concede the war on terror, in order to win the PR battle at home.
(Excerpt) Read more at canadafreepress.com ...
If we define "torture" as anything that causes the slightest discomfort to the terrorists, I can only imagine that we will wind up losing information that we would otherwise get.
Exactly...
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe torture worked on McCain....
McCain and the President both screwed up.
The President should have immediately endorsed the ban on torture instead of flip-flopping. If he insisted on having torture he should have stuck to his guns.
McCain should have dropped this after the President failed to do the right thing.
Now, we have the worst possible outcome.
1. The whole world thinks the President favors torture and that we are bad guys.
2. We lose the practical advantage of being able to torture
3. McCain is even better situated for a run at the Presidency.
Self-promoter that he is, McCain probably can't help himself. I don't think he even realizes, let alone cares, what he's done. Worse, though, is what the President did. To sign onto this treacherous legislation is a signal (at least to me, and probably to the terrorists too) that he's no longer serious about fighting terror.
McCain is sure not to get out of the primaries now. I can just see the commercials. Two terrorists watching the announcement of McCain's new law, turn to each other and give high fives and say "Thank you Senator McCain"
It is really comforting at this Christmas season to know the terrorists must be feeling even more emboldened because of American lack of will! Sheesh.
Did he say that!! Did he really say that!!!!!
For heaven's sake put the man were he belongs - a rest home. (No I don't mean the Senate.)
"If we define "torture" as anything that causes the slightest discomfort to the terrorists, I can only imagine that we will wind up losing information that we would otherwise get."
Sure we will. But it is morally wrong to use pain to cause someone to tell you something and we have signed (and initiated) all kinds of treaties to that effect. We signed those treaties after we had fought Nazis. Al Quaida is not worse than Nazi Germany.
There is also a pracitcal advantage. We spend a lot of time trying to get other countriesto do what we want them to do. We will have less luck if they think we are evil and the world thinks torture is evil.
I don't care who the Rats nominate for president, if McStain is the nominee I sit home and my wallet stays shut.
Moreover, some of the language, as I've understood it, would seem to ban disciplining one's own children--and let's not forget about the kids teasing one another (debasing, etc.). McCain and the President have both taken leave of their senses.
I agree with you. McCain's brain is addled and there is nothing more dangerous than an ego maniac with an addled brain!
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe torture worked on McCain...."
McCain is subjecting the country to an even greater amount of tortue than he experienced. I am sorry for the support I showed that mutt when he ran for President in 2000.
this should read more like We've sent a message to the world that the United States leaders will pamper the terrorists, Senator McCain said, sitting next to the president in the Oval Office on Thursday. This will help us enormously in winning the hearts and minds of the terrorists throughout the world and hopefully, terrorists will see that we mean them no harm and attack someone else. Failing that, we, the leaders of the USA will gladly surrender the general populace of America for whatever fate the terrorists deem suitable...
>But it is morally wrong to use pain to cause someone to tell you something and we have signed (and initiated) all kinds of treaties to that effect.<
What in the hell does that have to do with "degrading interrogation methods"?
Is it "degrading" to be imprisoned?
Is it "degrading" to miss Christmas with your mother?
Is it "degrading" to not have a sleepcomfort mattress?
If I were a GI again, the message to me would be, don't take any prisoners, because there's no up side.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.