Comments on: Letter Reveals How to Politely Decline Being Used

By: Randy Dutton

Randy Dutton — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:47:40 +0000

Harry you miss the alternative to agressive interrogation, which is the practice of rendition, where the US has no control over how suspects are interrogated once we transfer the suspects to other countries. Clinton (and Bush) both used rendition. And yes, America did use aggressive interrogation under other Presidents.

By: hotoffthepress2

hotoffthepress2 — Sat, 09 May 2009 17:14:38 +0000

Harry, I'm as big a fan of Reagan and "The Duke" as anyone. Perhaps, you should read my latest two-part series> on the subject of interrogation and the use of portable truth-verification technology before you paint me as a torture-loving fool. By the way, I don't think you knew "The Gipper" as well as you think.

By: Harry Flashman

Harry Flashman — Sat, 09 May 2009 17:05:44 +0000

You cheer and admire a person who chooses to make public his strong support for state sponsored torture. You cite, as an example, no domestic terrorist attacks since 2001. Let’s see….in the past decades, how many have there been by outside terrorist groups on US soil. Let’s see…one under Clinton in the beginning of his first term (first WTC bombing), any under Bush I ? I don’t seem to recall any panic or need for state sponsored torture at that time.

No one has beenkilled by international terrorists within the United States in the several years since 2001 whenthe extraordinary expenditures have taken place, but also no one was killed by them in thecountry in the several years before 2001 killed by a terrorist attack on our soil after 9/11 and the administration’s crack down on US citizenry and its direct attack on our Rights and Freedoms. Equally true is that in the years before 9/11 no one was killed by a terrorist attack on our soil. Here’s another fact…we have a terrorist attack on US soil on average a little over every eight years. 9/11 was significant for the number of lives lost, not that it was an attack on our soil. It was just another terrorist attack in which the administration was grossly negligent and the thugs lucky.

Ask oneself, would Ronald Reagan authorize as a state policy torture? I would expect his answer would be that steel gaze of his, that firm strong voice, and tell you “That’s not how We do it. We’re Americans”. John Wayne? The man who never shot a moan in the back? The Duke? Do you think he would support state sponsored torture?

We didn’t “need” torture during WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold Was (and facing nuclear destruction for over 40 years) … yet somehow this past eight years we not only “needed” it, but it was an authorized State policy???

Not only do you cheer for the guy who supports state policies of torture, he’s one who makes it public to rend a rift throughout this nation, one which is healing from the ugliness of the past eight years..an ugliness which shook its economy to the bone and has relegated it to being a pariah, rogue, untrusted country.

Tell you what, I’ll walk with Reagan and The Duke on this one. Those are who I see as emblematic of America.

By: hotoffthepress2

hotoffthepress2 — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:36:57 +0000

Harry,

It’s convenient to ignore the fact that we had no repeats of 9/11 after implementing common-sense techniques to keep our country safe. And are you pro-choice, too?

By: Harry Flashman

Harry Flashman — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:34:43 +0000

We sink to the level of barbaruians, we become barbarians.

We didn’t need torture or hold without basic rights of trial and evidence during the nuclear armeggedon days of the Cold War, we certainly don’t need it now against common thugs and criminals.

Anyone who admires those techniques, may I refer you to the airport and your flight to a banana republic.

By: hotoffthepress2

hotoffthepress2 — Sun, 03 May 2009 22:53:43 +0000

I agree, Miriam.