Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Waterboarding

Why can't we just all admit it -- Congress lacks the courage to outlaw waterboarding.

Republicans won't do it because they then will have to admit they were wrong.

Democrats won't do it because they expect the next president to be a Democrat and they do not want to look soft on National Security.

John McCain, however, thinks the 2005 Detainee Treatment Act and the 2006 Military Commissions Act already make it illegal. He even suggests anyone waterboarding after 2006 is guilty of war crimes. (Why is this man not president?)

The red herring in all this is the claim that outlawing torture will put the US at risk. I look at it this way. If something happens in the heat of battle I may look at it differently than if something happens at Gitmo. If a 20 year old sergeant under fire somewhere in Afghanistan threatens a prisoner to reveal a sniper's nest, I view that differently than waterboarding someone captured 6 months ago in a prison. The whole ticking time bomb thing is the creation of t.v. writers (all of whom are now on strike anyway).

5 comments:

Rodak said...

d"(Why is this man not president?)"

According to Karl Rove, it's because of that illegimate black baby of his. Shame, Johnny Mack!

Anthony said...

I know Rodak. Had it not been for a death in my then girlfriend's (now wife's) family, I was supposed to be in South Carolina that weekend volunteering for McCain.

I have no trouble with playing hardball, as long as it is true. I mean, the HRC whinning because she is asked tough questions and then called when she gives a nonsense answer is rediculous.

But what they did to McCain, in a primary he was going to lose anyway -- I should have walked away from Bush then.

Rodak said...

You should have walked away from Bush when he mocked Karla Faye Tucker. He did that himself.

Anthony said...

>You should have walked away from Bush when he mocked Karla Faye Tucker. He did that himself.

I am very ambivilent toward the death penalty. I do not like it, and in the very unlikely event I ever get elected to something, I will never vote for it. I do think it is constitutional however.

I can see how if you support the death penalty you would have supported executing Ms. Tucker. The crime was horrible, and the fact that you accept Christ should not be a reason for clemency. But his little joke begging was tasteless and should have been a warning.

Rodak said...

"But his little joke begging was tasteless and should have been a warning."

By their fruits shall ye know them.