As always, Dr. Krauthammer hits the nail squarely on the head.
You can believe that Pelosi and the American public underwent a radical transformation from moral normality to complicity with war criminality back to normality. Or you can believe that their personalities and moral compasses have remained steady throughout the years, but changes in circumstances (threat, knowledge, imminence) alter the moral calculus attached to any interrogation technique.
You don’t need a psychiatrist to tell you which of these theories is utterly fantastical.
It’s terrible .. especially the video you posted of Schumer’s hypothetical situation.. all excuses for using these techniques are bs. The administration that was involved with administering these techniques should be prosecuted (but I wouldn’t be the person to ask -how-). We’re not the ‘good guys’ that we say we are when we torture, we’re criminals and hypocrites. The worst part is that the US has committed war crimes in one way or another in the past and hasn’t gotten any real flack for it.. so these politicians are probably wondering, “Why does everyone suddenly care now?” Which makes it really hard to prosecute everyone involved.. does that mean we should go back even decades and -just now- make these politicians face the consequences of their actions? I’m not one to forgive and forget, those who administered crimes like these interrogation techniques should be punished.. but if you prosecute one administrations war crimes you should prosecute them all and the Obama administration already has a lot on their hands.
p.s. I’m a lefty that has been following your blog for a month or so (and finally commentating) because now that I’ve gotten into politics its helpful to see and attempt to understand both sides of the left/right equation
Al, I completely disagree with your stance… I think “war crimes” is a very serious charge that is unwarranted based on the totality of what we know. However, I respect that you at least apply it with an even hand.
Reasonable people will disagree with this issue, and people have always cared. The difference is that Washington is using it in part of some political game, to get back at the Bush Administration and keep any Obama dissent down. As long as they can keep the focus on any supposed misdeeds of Bush & Company, they can keep interest and chatter away from the bailouts, tax increases, health care monstrosity, etc.
This is politics and deflection at the worst possible time. And while we’re discussing this, so many things that make this country great are continuing to slip away.
Still, there is no excuse for Nancy Pelosi to insult and ridicule the CIA and its employees. That is taking the political game to new lows and should not be tolerated. Those people never get acknowledged for the good they do. They don’t do it for political gain, money, power, or so they can take a government jet on vacation… they do it for love of country and to keep the rest of us safe. To drag them down because Pelosi got caught in her own web of lies is inexcusable.
If the President really wanted to look forward, he would show some leadership and end this debate now (at least in Washington). I will not concede that crimes were committed, but whatever happened was done to make us safe, and you cannot compare waterboarding to flying planes of innocents into buildings. Its time for Obama to be a leader, and lets have a real discussion on the changes he wants to make… put forth plans, and let us have debate. Its time to stop looking backward and get things moving ahead. Let historians and Academia decide the levels of our past transgressions. They’re virtually all liberals with a skewed version of reality… so in hindsight you’ll win anyway.