Comments on: Petraeus condemns torture. http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/ Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:45:01 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Kilo http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3799538 Kilo Sat, 12 May 2007 06:31:41 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3799538 <strong>These “uniformly positive change(s)” must be incredibly subtle since they seem to be obscured by minor things like near record killings and casualties. Comment by Dreary Urbanite — May 11, 2007 @ 11:46 am</strong> Can you find the title of this article ? Or is the idea that abandoning harmful policies like torture isn't really necessary until there is a change in the level of violence ? Or is there really no idea going on here. These “uniformly positive change(s)” must be incredibly subtle since they seem to be obscured by minor things like near record killings and casualties.
Comment by Dreary Urbanite — May 11, 2007 @ 11:46 am

Can you find the title of this article ?
Or is the idea that abandoning harmful policies like torture isn’t really necessary until there is a change in the level of violence ?
Or is there really no idea going on here.

]]> By: Loonie http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3798889 Loonie Fri, 11 May 2007 22:17:39 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3798889 The most efficient tortures are those that do the least physical damage, because then the suffering can be sustained for whatever period of time desired. Psychological damage is the aim of torture. But you know what? Don't worry about it. You just carry right on making excuses and justifications that let you pretend that torture isn't torture. The most efficient tortures are those that do the least physical damage, because then the suffering can be sustained for whatever period of time desired. Psychological damage is the aim of torture.

But you know what? Don’t worry about it. You just carry right on making excuses and justifications that let you pretend that torture isn’t torture.

]]> By: Andy Trotter http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3798677 Andy Trotter Fri, 11 May 2007 20:47:47 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3798677 Do any of you "people" have a clue? GEN Petraeus is the most honest and honorable man. Stop with the crap. I'm ashamed to be called an American if it means I am grouped with you. Do any of you “people” have a clue? GEN Petraeus is the most honest and honorable man. Stop with the crap. I’m ashamed to be called an American if it means I am grouped with you.

]]> By: Juan C http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3798316 Juan C Fri, 11 May 2007 18:44:15 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3798316 Waterboarding and turning the thermostat down are not torture. Comment by m12 And this is a citizen from the most powerful country, people. How low can you get? Waterboarding and turning the thermostat down are not torture.
Comment by m12

And this is a citizen from the most powerful country, people. How low can you get?

]]> By: barfly http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3798294 barfly Fri, 11 May 2007 18:35:54 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3798294 Comment by m12 Strange, but whenever I offer this financial opportunity to wingsters, they always disappear. They say it's no big deal, until someone asks them to demonstrate, and suddenly all that's left is a pile of pidgeon droppings, and pin feathers. Real profiles in courage, these guys. Comment by m12

Strange, but whenever I offer this financial opportunity to wingsters, they always disappear. They say it’s no big deal, until someone asks them to demonstrate, and suddenly all that’s left is a pile of pidgeon droppings, and pin feathers. Real profiles in courage, these guys.

]]> By: ForTruth http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3798083 ForTruth Fri, 11 May 2007 17:13:53 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3798083 The Fleetwood Mac guy was Lindsey Buckingham. The Fleetwood Mac guy was Lindsey Buckingham.

]]> By: barfly http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3798066 barfly Fri, 11 May 2007 17:08:19 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3798066 Your post was a little garbled, so I fixed it, gratis. <i>Waterboarding doesn’t cause physical damage. What nonsense. Comment by m12 — May 11, 2007 @ 1:03 pm</i> Your post was a little garbled, so I fixed it, gratis.

Waterboarding doesn’t cause physical damage. What nonsense.

Comment by m12 — May 11, 2007 @ 1:03 pm

]]> By: barfly http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3798055 barfly Fri, 11 May 2007 17:04:48 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3798055 Waterboarding doesn’t cause physical damage. Comment by m12 Unless you have an undiagnosed lung embolysm. Then it is a death sentence. Waterboarding doesn’t cause physical damage.

Comment by m12

Unless you have an undiagnosed lung embolysm. Then it is a death sentence.

]]> By: barfly http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3798050 barfly Fri, 11 May 2007 17:03:29 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3798050 Waterboarding and turning the thermostat down are not torture. Comment by m12 Hey, let's meet, and I'll waterboard you on camera; you can state that waterboarding isn't torture - if you're able to, that is. We can offer dvd's to all the wingnuts as evidence that it isn't really torture. I'll give you half the profits, and you can even have the t-shirt concession to yourself. Whatta 'ya say? Partners? Waterboarding and turning the thermostat down are not torture.

Comment by m12

Hey, let’s meet, and I’ll waterboard you on camera; you can state that waterboarding isn’t torture – if you’re able to, that is. We can offer dvd’s to all the wingnuts as evidence that it isn’t really torture. I’ll give you half the profits, and you can even have the t-shirt concession to yourself. Whatta ‘ya say? Partners?

]]> By: m12 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3798049 m12 Fri, 11 May 2007 17:03:18 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3798049 What nonsense. The japs used to beat people, which is torture. Waterboarding doesn't cause physical damage. What nonsense. The japs used to beat people, which is torture.

Waterboarding doesn’t cause physical damage.

]]> By: Loonie http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3798014 Loonie Fri, 11 May 2007 16:46:09 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3798014 Oh no, waterboarding isn't torture. That's why it was the favorite technique of the Khmer Rouge and Tomas de Torquemada. That's why many Japanese soldiers were tried for war crimes for doing it in World War 2. Because it wasn't torture. It really requires either incredibly dry and succinct sarcasm or a special level of ignorance to make comments like "Waterboarding and turning the thermostat down are not torture". Oh no, waterboarding isn’t torture. That’s why it was the favorite technique of the Khmer Rouge and Tomas de Torquemada. That’s why many Japanese soldiers were tried for war crimes for doing it in World War 2. Because it wasn’t torture.

It really requires either incredibly dry and succinct sarcasm or a special level of ignorance to make comments like “Waterboarding and turning the thermostat down are not torture”.

]]> By: m12 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3797924 m12 Fri, 11 May 2007 16:12:04 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3797924 #28 That doesn't happen at Gitmo. Waterboarding and turning the thermostat down are not torture. #28

That doesn’t happen at Gitmo.

Waterboarding and turning the thermostat down are not torture.

]]> By: Tom3 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3797889 Tom3 Fri, 11 May 2007 16:00:38 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3797889 I think you Repuke trolls are missing the point. Our troops think torture is okay. Some of them admit to doing it. Most of them say they would cover for their buddies doing it. When one of our top generals has to remind our soldiers to obey the law and not torture or murder Iraqis, that means things are bad. We need to get out of Iraq. Now. I think you Repuke trolls are missing the point.

Our troops think torture is okay. Some of them admit to doing it. Most of them say they would cover for their buddies doing it.

When one of our top generals has to remind our soldiers to obey the law and not torture or murder Iraqis, that means things are bad.

We need to get out of Iraq. Now.

]]> By: Juan C http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3797885 Juan C Fri, 11 May 2007 15:58:27 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3797885 Id better believe Jack Bauer. /troll Id better believe Jack Bauer. /troll

]]> By: Dreary Urbanite http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3797863 Dreary Urbanite Fri, 11 May 2007 15:46:11 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3797863 #33 – These “uniformly positive change(s)” must be incredibly subtle since they seem to be obscured by minor things like near record killings and casualties. #33 – These “uniformly positive change(s)” must be incredibly subtle since they seem to be obscured by minor things like near record killings and casualties.

]]> By: Loonie http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3797855 Loonie Fri, 11 May 2007 15:44:53 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3797855 Torture has never been about gathering information. Its only purpose is to destroy people. Torture has never been about gathering information. Its only purpose is to destroy people.

]]> By: Chris http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3797819 Chris Fri, 11 May 2007 15:29:35 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3797819 I think we are all missing the point here. I don't believe this letter is a slap in the face to the adminstration. I think it is to remind our troops that we are still the greatest military in the world and that despite the fact that things are very tough, we must continue to conduct ourselves in a professional manner. A quote from the letter which was left out here is that Gen. Petraeus said we must "occupy the moral high ground". I can be tough on a soldier's morale (btw I am one) when your enemy is willing to use women and children as human shields, drive car fulls of explosives into crowded markets once when children were still inside, kidnap and behead people who they claim are "infidels" etc. The list can go on. I don't believe Petraeus cares about what is going on above him. He's been given a mission and he's going to try and acomplish it the best he can and his main concern is the welfare of his soldiers. I think we are all missing the point here. I don’t believe this letter is a slap in the face to the adminstration. I think it is to remind our troops that we are still the greatest military in the world and that despite the fact that things are very tough, we must continue to conduct ourselves in a professional manner. A quote from the letter which was left out here is that Gen. Petraeus said we must “occupy the moral high ground”. I can be tough on a soldier’s morale (btw I am one) when your enemy is willing to use women and children as human shields, drive car fulls of explosives into crowded markets once when children were still inside, kidnap and behead people who they claim are “infidels” etc. The list can go on. I don’t believe Petraeus cares about what is going on above him. He’s been given a mission and he’s going to try and acomplish it the best he can and his main concern is the welfare of his soldiers.

]]> By: Kilo http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3797801 Kilo Fri, 11 May 2007 15:21:59 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3797801 <strong>He should be given the Congressional Medal of Honor for this action. To stand up for his morals in the face of a corrupt administration where the ends ALWAYS justifies the means is a true hero. Comment by Dogjudge — May 11, 2007 @ 10:14 am</strong> Yeah but he supports the surge so all his opinions are worthless. Haven't you been paying attention to what TP has been telling you about him ? Sure his tactics represent a uniformly positive change of direction in Iraq, but you are required to complain about the surge and everything related to it. Pay attention. He should be given the Congressional Medal of Honor for this action.
To stand up for his morals in the face of a corrupt administration where the ends ALWAYS justifies the means is a true hero.
Comment by Dogjudge — May 11, 2007 @ 10:14 am

Yeah but he supports the surge so all his opinions are worthless.
Haven’t you been paying attention to what TP has been telling you about him ?

Sure his tactics represent a uniformly positive change of direction in Iraq, but you are required to complain about the surge and everything related to it. Pay attention.

]]> By: Tom3 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3797795 Tom3 Fri, 11 May 2007 15:18:33 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3797795 Torture is not useful for getting intel. It is unreliable. The FBI studied it thoroughly and came to this expert conclusion. Torture only works effectively for one purpose, getting people to confess. Torture can make anyone confess to anything, even the tough guys. The Military Commissions Act allows the US to use confessions gained under torture to prosecute detainees at Gitmo and elsewhere. Chimpy and his thugs have destroyed the Rule of Law in the US. Torture is not useful for getting intel. It is unreliable.

The FBI studied it thoroughly and came to this expert conclusion.

Torture only works effectively for one purpose, getting people to confess. Torture can make anyone confess to anything, even the tough guys.

The Military Commissions Act allows the US to use confessions gained under torture to prosecute detainees at Gitmo and elsewhere.

Chimpy and his thugs have destroyed the Rule of Law in the US.

]]> By: clb72 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-3797775 clb72 Fri, 11 May 2007 15:07:28 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/#comment-3797775 the fact that he had to write this after over four years of occupation tells you all you need to know. the fact that he had to write this after over four years of occupation tells you all you need to know.

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