Retired general: Torture worked on John McCain, that's why they call him 'Songbird John'

The Washington Times ^ | 05-10-2018 | Naomi Lim

[Kevin in California]

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney on Thursday referred to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., as "Songbird John" and said torture worked on the former POW.

McInerney, during an interview on Fox Business Network, was slamming McCain's refusal to support CIA director nominee Gina Haspel over her past work at the agency involving enhanced interrogation techniques that are considered torture.

[jagusafr]

I know guys in the Order Of Daedalians who flew with McCain. They all said he was not a great pilot and spent way too much time trying to get his dad to get him out of combat.

[Just mythoughts]

And the General will probably be banned from Fox.

The Foxes have never lived up to their claim of 'Fair and Balanced'... Shep alone makes them unbalanced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5-51-wLVG0

[bantam]

Fox News sucks. Going steadily downhill for the last 1.5-2 yrs. I hardly ever watch it anymore.

[Just mythoughts]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5-51-wLVG0

[GailA]

btt

[faucetman]

NONSENSE! McCain was never tortured because as soon as they picked him up he said “I’ll tell you ANYTHING, EVERYTHING.

[Rennes Templar]

“So he is a “war hero” exactly how?”

Not a hero, but a survivor. He was tough to survive capture, but not heroic. There are many war survivors.

[usafretired]

Shell fragment injuries while cooking eggs for breakfast.

[golux]

Torture works on everybody. You get to a point you don't even know what you're saying, whether you are alive or dead. Only a real dick would go after a guy who was tortured. It's not like in the F'n movies.

[HamiltonJay]

Exactly, the human body and mind can only take so much... even the most strong willed will do and say anything if they think it will stop the pain.... Why do you think the US engages in water boarding?

Because when your mind is convinced you are going to drowned you will do and say anything to stop it....

While I am no fan of McCain, and I believe he has disgraced himself in the past few years, by making personal moves that harm the country just to get back at Trump... The one thing I do respect him for is his view and adamant opposition to torture... He’s lived through it... those who have not sitting around judging him for his actions in response to it, just show their foolishness IMHO.

[HamiltonJay]

Exactly, McCain deserves criticism for many things, but this sort of crap attacking him because he caved under torture, is inexcusable and Free Republic should be better than that... It used to be.

[HamiltonJay]

It hasn’t been watchable in well over a decade now....

[HamiltonJay]

Very possible, but what does that have to do with anything?

They offered him an out once they knew who he was... he chose to stay and spent 5 years in prison.

I am not a fan of him or many of his actions, but these entire line of attacks on him are ridiculous.

I will happily criticize McCain for many things I disagree with him for, but for his many failings, but to beat on him because he caved to torture? That’s stupid and silly, and would only be done by someone who has never truly endured torture. Torture is used because it works... everyone breaks eventually.. they will do and say anything to make it stop... whether it be true or not.

Why do you think the cops can’t torture a confession from someone? Because if they were allowed they would get anyone to confess to anything....

McCain has lots of things to be criticized for, but this stuff is unwarranted and ignorant.

[Kalamata]

>>Fox has apologized, and General is banished from Fox for asserting this story.
**********************************************************
The McTraitor influence still runs strong, deep, and wide.

[Sirius Lee]

He never stopped singing. He’s been working for the enemy ever since.

Correct. Once the Vietnamese were no longer an enemy he had to go looking for more bedfellows and went running into the arms of the islamofascists in order to continue stabbing America in the back.

[golux]

I agree. Thanks for the support and the pull on the steering wheel. By the way, the man who told me how things were was Bud Day, whom I knew fairly well.

To any new Freepers reading this buried missive, remember that there IS a tradition that runs deep. "Duty, honor, country." Criticize a man's politics. Make fun of a weenie. But when a man is a POW, he is OURS. Radical, freedom-loving, but elegant: that's us.

A lot of posters here served. Some didn't. What we love is what makes our country great: constitutional principles, individual liberty, and sometimes, heroism. I frankly don't call any GRE-grad 'highway cop with a badge a hero, though that's the fashion today.

A man, even a privileged Admiral's boy and a crappy pilot who finds himself in the middle of hell with only a memory of a flag to call home... That is a hero.

And though we don't agree on politics anymore you bet your sweet ass I voted for him and would buy him a drink and proudly shake his hand any day.

[golux]

“Ok so he was shot down, captured and he sang. And he was out of the war for five years. So he is a “war hero” exactly how ?” I agree, we use the word “hero” too freely. It diminishes REAL heroes. The best and most honest appraisal of McCain’s Vietnam experience is that he endured a lot of suffering, but that doesn’t rise up to a hero status. I’m sure every other prisoner went through the same ordeal.


My service was extremely modest but may I posit that you would do well to give a REAL combat POW (unlike the scores of faux-PTSD "Agent Orange" losers with $2000 in monthly benefits, imaginative medals and no combat or even theater experience one meets incessantly) the benefit of the F'n doubt.

Have the decency to honor a man with whom you disagree.

[aquila48]

Was there something dishonorable about what I wrote? I acknowledge that he went through a lot of suffering as did all of his fellow prisoners.

My only point is that doesn’t rise to the level of hero.

[Duchess47]

John McCain was not tortured. He was recognized as an Admiral’s son, hospitalized and his injuries from the crash treated.

He has lived for years on his tales of bravery and torture, none of which is true.

[Duchess47]

My husband is one of those “agent orange” survivors, with plenty of in country experience, and earned just about every one of the diseases agent orange so graciously bestowed. Diabetes, cancer, heart disease, kidney disease.

In and out constantly as a dog handler, then a tour in Saigon as an information specialist.

Oh, no imaginary metals either. As a matter of fact, you would only know he was a VN vet if you asked him, he doesn’t advertise it at all.