For the past several days the Right Blogosphere has been excusing Bush Administration torture by taking what, to them, is the moral high ground — The Dems were in on it too. Specifically, they’ve been pointing fingers at Nancy Pelosi, who allegedly was briefed on torture early on, and said nothing. Emptywheel has been fact-checking.
I’ve been mostly ignoring this, because what Nancy Pelosi knew and when she knew it is far from the biggest issue facing us today. But the righties aren’t letting go of it. Everything is about political gotcha with them.
If Pelosi or any other Democrat appears to be guilty of something, by all means, investigate, and indict where appropriate. This “Pelosi did it too” nonsense is just plain infantile.
Olbermann did a segment on this that’s worth watching:
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Jonathan Landay asks if waterboarding (and other torture) is legal, and if it obtained information that prevented attacks on the United States.
As for the first question, the answer is clear: NO. The second question needs a counterpart:
Did waterboarding manufacture disinformation that helped cause an attack _by_ the United States?
The answer that one is YES. Historically, the main purpose of torture has been to manufacture disinformation as political cover for official criminality. In that sense it ‘works’.
Paradoctor said:
The answer that one is YES. Historically, the main purpose of torture has been to manufacture disinformation as political cover for official criminality. In that sense it ‘works’.
Actually, I think that the main purpose of torture is to satisfy the sadistic urges of sociopaths. George Bush, Dick Cheney, Saddam Hussein – all birds of a feather. When they were young, they got their jollies torturing insects, frogs and the neighbor’s cat – as adults, they got to do it on humans.
Landay’s second question offers a justification for torture, and he should have been called out on even posing it. Torture is morally wrong no matter what it yields by way of information.
Isn’t the same strategy the Republicans used when Mark Foley was found out?
“The Democrats knew and they didn’t do anything about it!”
Infantilism at its finest.
Hmmmmmmmm, were the people in the twin towers TORTURED when they were burned to death? Yes it was torture you MORONS!!!!!!
I thought we’ve assumed that Pelosi was in on it for years and that’s why “impeachment was off the table”. It seems pretty clear that we effectively have a government of 14-15 people: 9 appointed Supreme Court justices, the House and Senate majority and minority leaders and the President (and Vice-President). Since the House does whatever Pelosi says, Pelosi is highly relevant.
No one will ever convince me that Kneepads Nancy and PUKIE Reid weren’t informed. Waterboardding is TORTURE, punto, and the idiot appologist for it above, paradoc can only be one of the doctors onboard and just fine with torture. Agree totally that it was fun and games for the perverted sociopaths Bush/CHENEY/Rove. Scared little Cheney find the idea that torture will get exposed and prosecuted ‘abhorrent’ so, exactly what needs to be done. We don’t even have to count on US, Spain will do it. GO SPAIN!!!!!
No one will ever convince me that Kneepads Nancy and PUKIE Reid weren’t informed.
In other words, your mind is closed, you think you know everything, but you’re big enough to admit it.
Waterboardding is TORTURE, punto, and the idiot appologist for it above, paradoc can only be one of the doctors onboard and just fine with torture.
I have two bit of advice for you, Rose.
1. Learn to read.
2. Grow a brain.
Thanks much. And goodbye.
Micheal…Your logic is tortured..Go get a brain, you idiot!
Hmmmmmmmm, were the people in the twin towers TORTURED when they were burned to death? Yes it was torture you MORONS!!!!!!
“They did it to us first, so we’ve got a right to do it back.” Yes, this is where evil comes from. Thanks for reminding us.
Micheal, no one was tortured to produce the warning that Osama was going to attack. Too bad Bush didn’t do anything to prevent it.
I said: … the main purpose of torture has been to manufacture disinformation as political cover for official criminality.
Ozonehole replied: Actually, I think that the main purpose of torture is to satisfy the sadistic urges of sociopaths.
I reply: point taken. Let’s say that its purpose is sadism and its function is convenient disinformation. It’s synergistic: torture generates the lies needed to cover up its own sadism.
One question that really needs asking is what pressure is our government putting on other countries to stop them from bringing charges against those who advocated, condoned, and authorized torture to take place.
It seems apparent our government is busy behind the scenes internationally in this regard. They want to avoid indictment here and ABROAD which adds a whole new dimension to the sinister intent of the powerful to avoid being held responsible regardless of what they have done.
I for one am really tired of a two tiered system of laws that holds the little guy responsible 100% of the time, and the fat cats can commit murder with no worry of ever even going to court.
If these crimes go unpunished, it is going to do irreparable harm to our democracy in my opinion. We all need to scream to the high heavens and insist on a special prosecutor. Let congress have its investigations and inquiries, but we also need a special prosecutor to insure that justice is done and no stone is left unturned!