The headline of this article doesn't make much sense.
In the first instance, the information McCain gave up wasn't of any real value. Therefore, torture didn't "work" in the sense that we think of it working.
In the second instance, McCain would have signed a statement saying that he was Mickey Mouse, if it got him out of the ropes. Therefore, torture didn't "work" there, either.
Don't get me wrong. There's a difference between valid interrogation techniques, such as humiliation, environmental discomfort, sleep deprivation (to a limit) and torture. Valid interrogation techniques are just that - valid techniques. Torture, on the other hand, is pointless and counter-productive.
Torture, on the other hand, is pointless and counter-productive.Let's say there's a suitcase nuke planted somwhere in Manhattan and ticking away, scheduled to explode soon, too soon to evacucate people. You've got somebody who you know helped plant the device, and he knows you know he helped plant the device. You torture him. If he lies to you, or refuses to talk, you torture him some more. You know when he's lying, because the bomb isn't where he says it is. You know he's telling the truth when you find the bomb.
He might not talk, and millions might die. But what decent person on planet earth --- in the situation I've just described --- would not torture the bastard? Make sure you don't kill him, but provide such a degree of pain that he just might break, and tell you where the bomb is. And you save millions of lives.
Who wouldn't do it? You would do it. Don't lie about it. Don't lie just to make some silly point on a discussion board. You think about it. You think about what you would do in that actual situation and I know you'd be down there right next to that bastard, pulling out his fingernails or shoving lit cigarettes up his nose. I know I'd be doing it. And I know you would be too.
You would torture the bastard until he talked. Which he probably would if you used the right torture.
You made a silly argument about signing to be Mickey Mouse. They would not do that. He signed he committed war crimes. Then you got guys like Kerry and Fonda over here saying we committed war crimes. The NV says, they're right, we got proof here. They tell their people they Americans are criminals - read this. Signed by their own hand. Stupid and ignorant people believe anything. Than, when the next guy gets shot down, the villagers take out their aggression and fear on them. So yes, it does work. It does have consequences.
And McCain is and has never been a hero. He was a f-up from the git-go. He barely got out of Annapolis. If his dad and granddad were not 4 stars, they would have booted his sorry arse out! His plane caused the fire on the Forrestal. He and John Glenn should have been booted out of the Congress and into jail along with the other Keating Five. He has sold us down the river and will do so again to become President. The odds are against him - he is a Senator, the media will turn on him in a heartbeat, and he does not have the backing of the base. Yet, his greed and arrogance will cause him to run. He will crash and burn, like in the jungle and like 2000. Will he blame Bush this time around?