Jack Bauer, Torturer

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

"24" is just a TV show. But in her Los Angeles Times column of today, America Tortures (yawn), Rosa Brooks cites the actions of the show's characters -- and the American public's reaction to them -- as evidence of the way in which we have become inured to U.S. government-sponsored torture. In doing so, Brooks unwittingly raises another, more interesting issue.

Writes Brooks: "If you need any more evidence that the American public has gotten blasé about torture, consider the hit Fox action drama '24.' The show featured 67 torture scenes during its first five seasons, and most of those depicted torture being used by 'heroic' U.S. counter-terror agents."

Note Brooks' placement of scare quotes around "heroic." For the enlightened folks of the liberal elite, Jack Bauer is no hero -- he is best viewed as a torturer. But Brooks leaves an important question unanswered. '24' has taken the ticking-bomb scenario one lethal step further. As devotees well know, that nuclear bomb didn't just tick -- it exploded, killing thousands of people right in the heart of the LA Times subscription base. The '24' terrorists have three more nukes out there and are doing everything within their power to use them.

And so the question arises, if torturing people with crucial knowledge about the imminent explosion of nuclear weapons to kill Americans is off Ms. Brooks' refined table, just what would she propose? We can joke about subjecting terrorists to a reading of Barbara Boxer's Senate floor speeches. But in all seriousness, what would Ms. Brooks do? If it had been her loved ones in Valencia along with thousands of other people about to die, and the person with life-or-death knowledge was bound before her, would she have been unwilling to push the plunger on the torture drug that would make him talk? And if not, what?

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Bauer-the-torturer ping to Today show list.

[Tribune7]

Jack Bauer is fiction. I wonder how feels about Castro?

[Tribune7]

Jack Bauer is fiction. I wonder how Rosa Brooks feels about Castro?

[sgtbono2002]

I always love the hate America first crowd.

May they rot in hell.

[neodad]

I believe that 24's ratings are due largely to the fact that Bauer does torture the terrorists and wishes our government would do the same.

[zook]

That's different. You're blaming the victim. People of color by definition can't be racists or torturers because they lack the whiteman's power.

(I wondered if I should put a </sarcasm> here.)

[OCCASparky]

That's right, Rosa--get your Birkenstock panties all in a wad over a TV SHOW! Nevermind all the insurgents who have absolutely no issue with REAL torture, like sawing off heads, etc.

The reality fairy did not bless this woman.

[Brilliant]

Of course, even if the terrorists did blow up LA with a nuclear bomb, the libs would still be most concerned about the torture of putting ladies' panties on detainees' heads.

[Cruz]

"Jack Bauer is fiction. I wonder how Rosa Brooks feels about Castro?"

I suspect Rosa Brooks will never use a microgram of ink to criticize Castro or any socialist dictator/commander/agent.

[Long Island Pete]

Whatever happened to their "It's just a TV show. If you dont like it change the channel"?

[Steel Wolf]

I happen to know a number of interrogators, and they'll all start off any conversation about physical coercion with "torture doesn't work". It's like a reflexive statement that's trained into them, and they never take one step into such a conversation without dropping it.

With a little prodding, and the mention of the name "Abu Zubaydah" or "KSM", they will speculate that torture generally works, so long as you know what you're looking for, but not for fishing for general information.

Say you capture a terrorist financier, and he has an ATM card. Physical coercion would be effective in getting his PIN number, for instance, because you know he has it, but it wouldn't be effective in getting him to admit if he has any other bank accounts. He may, he may not, but you'll never really know if he's coming clean, wheras he has no way to pretend he doesn't have his own PIN number.

You have to already know you have the right guy, and already know that he has information you want. Those are two pretty high bars to clear, as far as HUMINT goes.

Food for thought, I guess.

[alicewonders]

Whatever happened to their "It's just a TV show. If you dont like it change the channel"?

Yeah, I remember when they jumped all over Dan Quayle for saying Murphy Brown was setting a bad example by choosing to be a single mother. And to all the naysayers who say there is too much sex & violence in movies & TV - these very same people are the ones - who say this stuff doesn't influence anyone.

[Corin Stormhands]

The show featured 67 torture scenes during its first five seasons, and most of those depicted torture being used by 'heroic' U.S. counter-terror agents.

She says that like itsuhbadthing...

[CholeraJoe]

Alls I know is that Hajjis HATE the waterboard and will sing like canaries after less than a minute of it.

"Used to be detention would find you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeon. God I miss the screaming." Argus Filch.

[Ramius]

Sparing the suffering of the guilty, if it allows the suffering of innocents, is immoral.

[Corin Stormhands]

ooo, that's quotable...

[Ramius]

I've been working on it. Still needs some work. Something's missing. But feel free to use it. :-)

[Tribune7]

Whatever happened to their "It's just a TV show. If you dont like it change the channel"?

Exactly!! Everyone knows what happens on TV can't influence people!!!

[massgopguy]

There's group in my city called Witness to Torture. They rail against the horrors of Gitmo after having never actually set foot on it. They said they waited for a week at the Cuban side entrance, even though you can't get to it by land. And their guide(a DGI Spook)came back and told them they would be denied entrance. They stayed for another week contemplating their navals. I asked one of them why they didn't put their time to better use by visiting Holguin and Kilo 5 Prisons.

They don't criticize Castro. Thus they are False Witnesses to Torture. And I just got the title of my next column!