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The unholy myth that torture ‘works’
Washington Post ^ | May 4, 2011 | by Susan Brooks Thistlethwank

Posted on 05/04/2011 8:52:21 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

The torture apologists are at it again, trying to perpetuate the unholy untruth that “interrogation of high-value targets” (torture) helped “give us victory” and thus yet again try to insinuate that it is justified. It doesn’t work, it didn’t help us one wit in getting bin Laden, and it is never justified. We cannot let torture apologists get any traction again on this corrupt myth.

But they are trying. Liz Cheney and others at the Keep America Safe Foundation got out a quick statement following President Obama’s announcement of the successful operation against Osama bin Laden. The balance of their argument is that this “victory” was due in larger part to our “intelligence services who, through their interrogation of high-value detainees, developed the information that apparently led us to bin Laden.” President Obama’s leadership in this daring effort against terrorism isn’t even mentioned.

How quickly they come back out of the woodwork, the torture apologists. Jane Mayer, the author of The Dark Side: How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals has said, “It may have taken nearly a decade to find and kill Osama bin Laden, but it took less than twenty-four hours for torture apologists to claim credit for his downfall,” citing the Keep American Safe Foundation statement.

Much has been made of ”getting the courier’s name” from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was waterboarded 183 times. Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), for example, said earlier this week that we obtained information “about the courier…obtained that information through waterboarding…vital information which directly led us to bin Laden.” In fact, as experts have noted, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed did not reveal the courier’s name that led the U.S. to bin Laden under torture. He gave up those names many months later under standard interrogation.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
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1 posted on 05/04/2011 8:52:22 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“by Susan Brooks Thistlethwank” Liberal name if I EVER heard one.


2 posted on 05/04/2011 8:53:53 AM PDT by US Navy Vet
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
It's torture to read the Washington Post, but that doesn't stop them from printing it.
3 posted on 05/04/2011 8:54:10 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Under Islam, there is no separation of church and state. The church IS the state.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Yeah, the US should follow the military intelligence advice given by a priestess at the Chicago Theolgical Seminary.


4 posted on 05/04/2011 8:54:44 AM PDT by Mr. Lucky
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

That’s how we know it worked.....the libtards turned the volume up full blast screaming that it didnt...


5 posted on 05/04/2011 8:54:51 AM PDT by Crim (Palin / West '12)
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To: US Navy Vet

“Thistlethwank”! It’s not even a real name. Must be some kind of pen name because it does not exist in the real world.


6 posted on 05/04/2011 8:57:46 AM PDT by the_devils_advocate_666
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

If waterboarding were used by Al-Qaeda and the Taliban against captured US soldiers, the left would defend it until they were blue in the frace


7 posted on 05/04/2011 8:58:16 AM PDT by Thane_Banquo (Mitt Romney: He's from Harvard, and he's here to help.)
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To: US Navy Vet

Hey! Watch it! “Thistlethwank” is my middle name!


8 posted on 05/04/2011 8:58:59 AM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
This stupid b**** needs to STFU

I don't care what they do if gets info that saves innocent lives

9 posted on 05/04/2011 9:00:38 AM PDT by Charlespg
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
The whole argument seems to be based on the notion that tortured suspects will lie to end the pain/discomfort.

While this is undoubtedly true, the interrogator simply needs to make it understood that if the prisoner's information cannot be empirically verified, the pain/discomfort will continue or intensify until it can be.

Problem solved.

10 posted on 05/04/2011 9:00:38 AM PDT by wideawake
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

>>> The unholy myth that torture ‘works’
Washington Post by Susan Brooks Thistlethwank

That, my FRiends, is the wankest piece I’ve read for a while by a wanker.


11 posted on 05/04/2011 9:01:31 AM PDT by Sir Napsalot (Pravda + Useful Idiots = CCCP; JournOList + Useful Idiots = DopeyChangey!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Did you notice in the accompanying cartoon that the interrogation victim was put on a hot beach where he had to be fanned instead of in a quiet room with AC? And notice that there’s no food tray on which he could put his nummy. And he might even get some blown sand particles in his fruit salad. What to do????????


12 posted on 05/04/2011 9:02:03 AM PDT by laweeks
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To: US Navy Vet
“by Susan Brooks Thistlethwank” Liberal name if I EVER heard one.

...obviously, since it can only be pronounced with a lisp...

13 posted on 05/04/2011 9:02:24 AM PDT by ghost of nixon
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Thistlethwank and the rest of the scumbag liberals and their allies in the dying, socialist “mainstream” newsrooms are still trying to redefine “torture”?
/headshaking chuckle

Waterboarding is “torture” the same way fingernails on a blackboard is “torture”, or the relentless din of blaring heavy-metal music aimed at an enemy holed up in a compound is “torture”.

No, “torture” is having your fingers lopped off one at a time with a pair of wire cutters. “Torture” is having bleach poured into your forced-open eyes. “Torture” is having your kneecaps shot. “Torture” is having parts of your body blow-torched to black cinder two square inches at a time and then ripped off with pliers. “Torture” is having a pair of tree-branch loppers applied to the genitals.

There are countless ways to inflict real torture, and part of the torture is the realization by the victim that his body will be forever damaged, forever missing pieces. Forever. Now THAT’s torture.

Being dowsed with water in the morning and then still being able to play shortstop for the terrorist softball team in the afternoon is NOT torture.


14 posted on 05/04/2011 9:04:17 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“Didn’t help us one wit in getting Bin Laden.”

Prove it, libtard. I’d like to see that one.


15 posted on 05/04/2011 9:06:08 AM PDT by cld51860 (Lies, lies, all lies!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
FU susan... I wish I had immunity because I would show you first hand how it works... but all I can do is write this post to vent about how stupid and vapid that you are. You are an idiot and a propagandist for the left... you are an evil ****.

LLS

16 posted on 05/04/2011 9:06:33 AM PDT by LibLieSlayer (THANK YOU PRESIDENT BUSH!)
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To: US Navy Vet
This twit has absolutely no concept of that which speaks. I guarantee I can have this person telling me her most closely guarded secret in one hour or less using “harsh” interrogation techniques.

The myth is that torture doesn't work. And her own commie buddies use it regularly. To good effect, I might add.

I'd like to know exactly how she concluded torture does not work. I'm sure if she asked a bunch of jihadis about it they would say that torture doesn't work. It's like asking a bunch of murderers if the death penalty works. Of course they'll say no.

Thistlethwank. Man you just cannot make a name like that up.,

17 posted on 05/04/2011 9:06:33 AM PDT by dools0007world
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To: the_devils_advocate_666

Whistleskank...the playground days left her scarred...


18 posted on 05/04/2011 9:09:08 AM PDT by MrEdd (Heck? Geewhiz Cripes, thats the place where people who don't believe in Gosh think they aint going.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Guns won’t protect you. And second hand smoke is more dangerous than smoking, too!

What a fool believes, s/he sees....


19 posted on 05/04/2011 9:10:21 AM PDT by papertyger
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Much has been made of ”getting the courier’s name” from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was waterboarded 183 times.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed did not reveal the courier’s name that led the U.S. to bin Laden under torture. He gave up those names many months later under standard interrogation.

I guess it never occurred to the author he was threatened with a 184th time and wasn't interested, so he sang.

20 posted on 05/04/2011 9:10:21 AM PDT by edpc (Tagline under construction: Your American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars at work.)
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