Comments on: White House Denies Cheney Endorsed Torture

VP Called Dunking Suspects In Water During Interrogations 'A No-Brainer'

Torture is wrong for many reasons.

It is also a completely unreliable method for extracting the "truth" from someone.

Torture someone for long enough, and they will probably tell you that it was they who shot JFK, despite being born ten years after his assassination.

The only "no brainer" is that this current Administration fully endorses torture - it's just that they don't like to admit it.

Bush claims that those who are picked up on the battlefield are "interrogated". Understandable.

The CIA however, under laws endorsed by Bush, do have the right to torture anyone, even Americans.

There are huge differences in what Bush says, and what he puts into practice.

In simple terms, Bush lies to make him and his administration look like they are doing the right thing.

The same lies that took America to war against Iraq, the same lies that have seen over 2,800 American troops killed - over a lie.

Currently, the biggest enemy of the American people is George W Bush and his administration of liars.

The only success GW Bush is having is ensuring that there will be generations of those who see America not as a friend, but as an enemy.

GW Bush will go down in history - not as being a saviour for the American people, but for being an enemy of freedom all over the world.

Just as terrorism is evil, so are the policies endorsed by Bush.

[j-whitman]

Great,, just great,, Now we torture,, Let's just start arresting all of our politicians that hurt America,, Start with this administration,, They no longer need habeous corpus,,, we can waterboard them for the truth,, & never give them a trial,, nor thier Constitutional Rights,,, After all, they actually do great harm to our nation & it would make America safer & once again a "Nation of Laws"

[osidebear]

"If the Americans are using torture to get the to the truth then that is what they must do.
What about the people who have been kidnapped and tortured and brutally murdered in Iraq by Al Qeada people like Ken Bigley who's body has been found or Margaret Hussein even her body has never been found. They have done worse to our people." -tich302001

First of all, torture is a notoriously poor way to get to the truth. It's not reliable. People being tortured will say anything.

Secondly, are you suggesting that the USA should stoop to the level of the people against whom we are fighting? We are supposed to be BETTER than they are, aren't we?

[rharrin1]

Of course they are denying you wouldn't expect them to tell the truth for once would you

[peterbaldwin-2009]

Patrick Murphy, a paratrooper from Allentown Pennsylvania, is being swiftboated by his opponent, Mike Fitzpatrick, a yellow chickenhawk. Notice how none of these tough-guy Republican robots have served their country. These Republicans think they served because they played with G.I. Joe dolls (a line I stole from Kerry). Any help at taking this chickenhawk to the woodshed would be greatly appreciated by those of us who have served in combat. Pennsylvania citizens: tar and feather this sorry excuse for an American by getting out to the polls and supporting Murphy. These Bush clones have no place in the new America.

[radiob-2009]

I have been in war Vietnam and I saw things and did things to save my life that I thought I would never see or do.When a woman holding a child is coming at you with a grenade,you have less than a split second to decide.Interrogation however is not the same as placing your life on the line and having to make that split second decision.Did the V.C violate human rights,yes.Did they violate the Geneva convention ,yes.Did we in Vietnam outside of Lt. Kelly?It is not a fine grey line on the battlefield.That doe's not excuse us if we violate international law.

[tejasdemo]

Cheney thinks he and Bush are above the law. Nixon was a saint compared to these guys. I remember Bush saying he would bring "honor back to the White House". What a joke. He has brought nothing, absolutely nothing, but death and corruption to the White House.

And, they will never be held accountable for it. They have already made millions off all of it.

[jason33309]

This subject has no political affiliation. What made this country great? The Constitution. The Bill of Rights. All men created equal. The right to due process under the law. The right to a trial by a jury of your peers. The right to confront your accusers.

If these rights don't apply to any one person, then they apply to none.

[j-whitman]

Nuremburg Trials convicted those who engaged in torture, from that point on-- Waterboarding became a violation of the Geneva Convention & International Law.

[j-whitman]

Winstrv,,, I've got 13 years away from my family out of 20 defending our National Security,, am I an "armchair quarterback"??? What uniform did Cheney, Rove, Rice, or Libby have on?? What war did Bush ever leave his family for?? They are the "armchair quarterbacks"
They have harmed our National Security with thier foreign, domestic, & even thier trade policiies.

[teri34]

If the Americans are using torture to get the to the truth then that is what they must do.
What about the people who have been kidnapped and tortured and brutally murdered in Iraq by Al Qeada people like Ken Bigley who's body has been found or Margaret Hussein even her body has never been found. They have done worse to our people.

[osidebear]

Tony Snow says of VP Cheney, "Are you kidding? You think *** Cheney's going to slip up on something like this. Come on!"

Mr. Snow, *** Cheney once shot a friend of his in the face. I don't put "slip ups" out of the range of possibility for that man.

[j-whitman]

Pwperez,,, Seems as though "Not endorsing" & "actually doing" are the same thing, Let these leaders who never wore a uniform or never left thier families to fight speak for themselves, instead of having their wifes speak in thier defense.
Bette yet send them to the Emerald City, have them stand out front with signs that say, "We have made you safer"

[searingtruth]

"searingtruth where did you get this quote from
'I at once understood everything and nothing at all. A victory, accompanied by defeat. A war, with no prisoners. A threat, with no substance. A fear, with no end. A sorrow, with no comfort. And a land, with no freedom.'
I have heard it before but I cannot recall the author."
radiob

All of the quotes with my moniker under them were authored by me. I have been writing for over two decades, and have compiled a book named "Wisdom, Warning, and Tyranny" that contains quotes from many people, including myself. You can browse excerpts from it on our website now, and, as we speak, we are working on posting it as a Community Book that others may contribute also.
ST

"I wanted only a freedom for all that I had coveted for myself."
SearingTruth

"Children should not know fear, or death, or suffering, for it is not their lot to know. Theirs is a time for joy, and wonder, and a time of great discovery. Let them never despair, or hurt, or want. This should be our highest calling, and our most sincere dedication."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[pwperez]

Must have been a slip by Cheney. When the "torture" issue first surfaced, I was simply shocked at how slow the White House was to state, as a matter of policy, that the United States does not endorse torture of any kind.
I believe it was the State Department that got in front of this issue quickly and correctly.
The "No-Brainer" here is simply this: As a matter of policy the United States of America does not endorse torture of any kind...period.

[radiob-2009]

searingtruth where did you get this quote from
I at once understood everything and nothing at all. A victory, accompanied by defeat. A war, with no prisoners. A threat, with no substance. A fear, with no end. A sorrow, with no comfort. And a land, with no freedom."
I have heard it before but I cannot recall the author.

[tejasdemo]

Cheney, Bush...neither one has the nads to do anything except lie and steal

[teddebare]

Everytime I see Gun-totin' Cheney I think: This is the guy who has cried for war and when he had an opportunity to be a BRAVE american and fight for his country he uttered: "..I have more important things to do than go to Viet Nam."

He and many of the neocons probably only adorned one uniform - Girls Scouts... Oppps do you think spell will catch that?

[jumkey]

One_American is afraid of his own shadow.

No wonder we're targets for terrorists with crybabies like One_American on *our* side. They can sense his weakness.

[osidebear]

Typically One(blind)American sets up straw men as arguments, and, just as typically, shows he's not very good at arguing. Let's see. He says:

"You know, I think you liberals have convinced me.
I think we should pull out of Iraq, and stop all intelligence gathering altogether."

Which liberal says stop gathering intelligence? Not one, of course.

Then he says,

"Let's just let the terrorist be.
Let them come after us."

Again, no one says that.

What we DO say, sir, is let us not forget WHO WE ARE. We are the United States of America, and that should mean something. It should mean we don't torture as a matter of national policy.

How I wish these conservatives could understand that their lack of regard for the Consitution puts us all on a slippery slope.