A Self-Inflicted Defeat. Why we might not break the next Khalid Sheikh Mohammad

opinionjournal.com ^ | September 14, 2006 | editorial

[Tolik]

<...snip...>

In only one respect does the Field Manual recognize any difference between lawful and unlawful combatants: The latter may be separated from their compatriots. Otherwise, terrorists who have violated the rules of war by targeting civilians and fighting out of uniform are to be treated exactly like POWs and considered honorable fighters who have a right to keep their secrets.

So Iraqi and Afghan insurgents won't even face the prospect of your average good cop/bad cop routine. The manual allows for a watered down version called "Mutt and Jeff" in which interrogators can affect different personalities. But the Manual admonishes strongly that the intelligence "collector must be extremely careful that he does not threaten or coerce a source. Conveying a threat may be a violation of the UCMJ [Uniform Code of Military Justice]." We kid you not. "Mutt and Jeff" is the worst that Abu Musab al Zarqawi could have expected from the Pentagon had he been captured alive.

<...snip...>

There's a legitimate debate to be had over waterboarding and other tactics. But part of our problem with the McCain Amendment was that Congressmen refused to engage in an honest debate lest they be accused of approving "torture," which no one sanctions but is a word used to slur anyone who wants aggressive interrogation.

The result was legislation that may have made everyone feel better after Abu Ghraib, but that also probably undermines our ability to get vital information from the next KSM we capture. That ability will be further damaged if the Administration's interrogation flexibility is again limited during current negotiations on Capitol Hill over the treatment of detainees. We hope the next "9/11" commission doesn't have to explain why the U.S. stopped employing interrogation methods that were both lawful and successful.

[sgtbono2002]

I have only one problem with what happened in Abu Gharib, Things like that shouldnt be done to amuse the troops, no camera's should have been anywhere near, and it should opnly be used to gain vital information. The pukes that made political advances from it at the cost of our security I have a problem with.

[Tolik]

Self-inflicting !

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[FreedomPoster]

LOL! Great graphics choice!

[Dilbert56]

[aculeus]

BTTT

[samtheman]

This guarantees there will be a horrendous terrorist attack in the future. Guarantees it. Promises it. Swears by it. Seals the deal. Delivers it wrapped and packaged to the American people as a grand present of mass murder compliments of the US Senate.

It's guaranteed.

This is a promise which the US Senate will actually fulfill.

They worked hard to make sure that terrorists are free to murder you, and you can be sure the terrorists will make sure that such good legislative work will not be done in vain.

[bitt]

depressed bump.

[monkeyshine]

Yep. I wonder if the "5 year anniversary fictionalized TV miniseries" of the next terrorist attack will depict McCain as this last one did Albright?

[samtheman]

I wonder if the "5 year anniversary fictionalized TV miniseries" of the next terrorist attack will depict McCain as this last one did Albright?

Probably. Because they aren't loyal to their heroes. Most of their heroes are just heroes of convenience, kept around just long enough to maintain the latest version of the continuing leftist fantasy that the only evil force in the world is the USA. Once someone --- such as the idiot McCain --- performs his lifetime service of useful idiocy, they will feel free to trash him and go on to worship the latest, most fashionable useful idiot.