The recent Senate report based on five years of investigation into U.S.-sanctioned torture inspired a multitude of responses. From the outset one must acknowledge that the Senate report did not showcase any information regarding the United States’ active role in torture that was not readily available for anyone doing even a cursory review. The United States has a long and glorious history of supporting despots and dictators with unspeakable legacies of torture, slaughter and unimaginable inhumanity. Lets not forget Sen. Alan Simpson advising our dear friend Saddam Hussein back in 1990 that American reporters were “bastards” for having the gall to document and showcase our great friend’s passion for torture and murder.
What is disturbing is recent polls that tell us that a concerning majority of Americans believe that our forays into torture and murder and other illicit activities is just fine and dandy and actually a useful tool in our now endless “war on terror.” From a purely pragmatic viewpoint, this position is at best ludicrous. Citizens need to research the history on this subject painstakingly documented by Alfred McCoy. The jury is in. The widespread use of torture will not provide the torturers relevant and useful information. Torturing people will not give a nation the inside track on coveted or desired information regarding the evil plans of terrorists.
What torture will do and has done is denigrate the United States and eliminate any pretext that we are a just and law-abiding nation. We eclipse any and all limits on hypocrisy if we speak with reverence about our love of freedom and democracy while at the same time endorsing and giving tacit approval to torture and other forms of medieval barbarism.
I recall one author talking about what occurred in Weimar Germany back in the 1930s — certain “doors” were opened that never should have seen the light of day. The end result there was one of the darkest periods in human history. In recent years the United States empire has been opening a lot of “doors.” Citizens need to become acutely aware of the implications of our sudden departure from reason and morality. We need to readily acknowledge torturers not as heroic freedom fighters and valiant warriors striving to rid the world of evil, but as what they are — the scum of the earth and the antithesis of everything that Americans should hold onto and cherish.
Jim Sawyer
Edmonds
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