Former FBI agent: ticking bomb scenario is a ‘red herring.’
Jack Cloonan, who spent 25 years as an FBI special agent and interrogated members of al Qaeda, recently told Foreign Policy that he has “been hard pressed to find a situation where anybody” can say “that they’ve ever encountered the ticking bomb scenario” when interrogating terrorists. He said it is a “red herring” and “[i]n the real world it doesn’t happen.” Cloonan added that the Israelis, “who have been doing this for a long time,” have “never had a situation where it is quote ‘a ticking bomb.’” Watch it:
Cloonan was one of the experts interviewed for the Oscar-winning documentary Taxi To The Dark Side.
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Gee, Scalia ought to be waterboarded under “the ticking bomb” scenario since he’s such a supporter of it. Apply the Golden Rule here. Do unto Scalia what he would do unto others.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:49 pmRed herring…?
February 25th, 2008 at 3:50 pm.
.
.
Well, DUH. Anyone with half a brain could think that one through.
Well, my friends, who do we want to believe on this - a 25-year veteran of the FBI, or some utterly unqualified loudmouth with too much hairspray on?
February 25th, 2008 at 3:51 pmWHAT! 24 isn’t real? Oh, man and I had such a crush on Jack Bauer..
Oops, is this turned on?
February 25th, 2008 at 3:56 pmHe should be receiving death threats from reich-wingers in 5…4…3….2…1…
February 25th, 2008 at 3:57 pmComment by tombaker — February 25, 2008 @ 3:51 pm
When is the FBI guy an expert? Watch more episodes of 24 like me! You wouldn’t want to be an inductrinayted librul, would you?
February 25th, 2008 at 3:59 pmI say, DISCLOSE HIS IDENTITY!!
Oh, wait..
February 25th, 2008 at 4:01 pmTHE CLINTON BODY-COUNT
Look at all the murders by the Clintons
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/BODIES.html
February 25th, 2008 at 4:02 pmHe said it is a “red herring†and “[i]n the real world it doesn’t happen.†- -
- - This post wil self-destruct in 5 seconds….
February 25th, 2008 at 4:07 pmComment by Frank M — February 25, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
There you go, Frank, shoot from the hip. Create more enemies and think you’re protecting America with continuing more unjustified invasions.
The AEI has a red-meat eating contest on Saturday. Wolfowitz is the champ right now. Will you show?
February 25th, 2008 at 4:08 pmNo attacks will happen again to america because by doing so would justify what America has done to the muslims
The world hates America for it
Bush destroyed America all by himself
Well done Bin laden
February 25th, 2008 at 4:08 pmFrank: I’ll give you a hint: the only way to fight terror is with more terror.
- - We have nothing to fear but Frank hisself.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:09 pmHe’s most likely right. You still don’t get what Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and the black sites are all about. I’ll give you a hint: the only way to fight terror is with more terror.
Comment by Frank M — February 25, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
This method is guaranteed to do only one thing. Create more terrorists, which it has accomplished. I can think of a few countries and times that you would fit into beautifully, but my country…America….is not one of them. What’s your last name, Frank? Mengele?
February 25th, 2008 at 4:13 pmAnyone with an IQ above room temperature knows that the “ticking bomb” scenario is a crock. I think that the Republiscums have watched way too much TV and have slipped into an alternative reality.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:14 pmI’ll give you a hint: the only way to fight terror is with more terror.
Spoken by a true bully. Anyone want to bet that this one was a bully in elementary school. It was a bully because it had no sense of self or self-esteem so it bullied all those weaker than it, to feel big and bad. How sad and pathetic is that?
February 25th, 2008 at 4:16 pmHot damn, would I love to have Francine’s laundry concession.
Bleach by the railcar load to get out the piss stains, but wow, what a gold mine!
February 25th, 2008 at 4:21 pmHmmm. Spose I should get a corner on the gas mask market too?
February 25th, 2008 at 4:22 pmfrank sounds more psychopathic with every single post.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:24 pmHe’s most likely right. You still don’t get what Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and the black sites are all about. I’ll give you a hint: the only way to fight terror is with more terror.
Comment by Frank M — February 25, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
What will you say when the same atrocities that our soldiers used at Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and the black sites are the same atrocities that will be inflicted on our soldiers? And as the gentleman said in the clip, they will get their revenge for what we have done to them. Might take them a generation, but they will have their revenge.
Then what are you gonna do? Become outraged that the same tatics the Americans used on the “terriorist” are now being used against them? Sorry, but that dog won’t hunt.
This Administration has gone out of it’s way to endorse torture and we all know that if it’s okay for the Americans to do something, then it’s okay for the rest of the world to pull the same bullsh1t that we are pulling.
I honestly do not believe that Bush knew what he was getting America into when he condoned the use of torture.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:24 pmI grew up reading fairy tales; thus, I can recognize a fairy tale when I hear one. The ticking bomb scenario has been nothing but a fairy tale.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:27 pmI’ll give you a hint: the only way to fight terror is with more terror.
Comment by Frank M
Yeah, we know…That is what your wife says all the time.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:28 pmQuick question for your Francine: Are YOU wearing your lapel pin? You know the one, it’s where you can show you are patriotic; all the while wanting Al Quaida to win. You know, the pin that tells everybody you are a true American.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:32 pmso glad we’re spending our reputation and our wealth on wingnut fantasies.
Americans on the whole couldn’t possibly be a stoopider group of people.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:36 pm.
Response to comment #7:
“He’s most likely right. You still don’t get what Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and the black sites are all about. I’ll give you a hint: the only way to fight terror is with more terror.”
Comment by Frank M — February 25, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
1. The purpose of any insurgent or terrorist group is to provoke an inappropriate reaction from the enemy. Thus, the enemy proves itself to be no better thant the terrorists thus depriving the enemy of those who should be natural allies. The insurgents also know that the enemy will direct its anger against the wrong targets thus creating a good breeding ground for additional terrorists.
2. Terrorists depend unreasoned fear from their enemy. It is the mark of small minds and cowardice. Terrorists aim to created uncontrolled anger. They know that that anger will be directed towards broad ethnic, religious and political groups. This is the manner in which terrorists know that they can turn the local populace into supporters.
3. Terrorists hope to subvert the culture of their enemy into their own culture by having them adopt the same unreasoned, undirected anger as the terrorists.
4. The use of such tactics ensures that they will be used against our own people. Note that Scalia retreated from the ticking time bomb scenario. He started saying that it was just a question of how remote the danger, how likely the suspect to have some knowledge that would justify what many defined as torture. As torture becomes more acceptable for use against terrorists, we will see the parallels drawn to: Drug dealers, murders, and other criminals. Why not use aggressive questioning with an alleged murderer? We need to stop him committing other murders. Drug dealers? We need to stop them from poisoning our young. The risk of harming the innocent? Cost of our security. The risk of false confessions? The really innocent would not confess and it is simply the cost of securing our country from crime.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:41 pmI’ll give you a hint: the only way to fight terror is with more terror.
Comment by Frank M — February 25, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
When I see this, and know that it isn’t parody or satire, I can only shake my head.
Frank doesn’t seem to realize that with such a scenario, there are no winners. Only various degrees of losing.
If he wants a model of this scenario, he should just look at Israel and Palestine. Suicide bombers beget air strikes, which beget more suicide bombers, which beget more air strikes, etc. etc. etc. Is anybody “winning” there?
February 25th, 2008 at 4:44 pmI’ll give you a hint: the only way to fight terror is with more terror.
Comment by Frank M — February 25, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
Yup, the bedwetting freak is definitely a Nazi. He’s every bit as bad as an Islamic terrorist, except he doesn’t have the guts to actually do anything himself.
Time to change your pants, Frank.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:47 pmThere you have it, Frank: I just said you were WORSE than an actual terrorist, because real terrorists are less cowardly than you.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:48 pmFrank M is a derailer. The only thing he commented on with some sense was when some of the regulars were commenting on flagging him. He suddenly became reasonable and started asking why.
A derailer, nothing more.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:54 pmI’ll give you a hint: the only way to fight terror is with more terror.
Comment by Frank M — February 25, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
The only way to fight the war on drugs and poverty is more drugs and poverty.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:55 pmWhy feed the troll? If you’re going to feed it, at least make it do tricks.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:56 pmI’ll give you a hint: the only way to fight terror is with more terror.
Comment by Frank M
But our quality of life is unparalleled in the history mankind!!
February 25th, 2008 at 4:56 pmIf you’re going to feed it, at least make it do tricks.
Comment by Bobwurst — February 25, 2008 @ 4:56 pm
Well, I did tell it to change its pants. To make it into a trick, I should tell it to change its pants without Mom’s help.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:02 pmPsssst, Frank - George Bush is a terrorist!
February 25th, 2008 at 5:06 pmI’ll give you a hint: the only way to fight terror is with more terror.
Comment by Frank M —
The Soviets tried that, and look what happened.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:07 pmthe only way to fight terror is with more terror.
comment by Frankie
I see that our little Nazi is quoting Hitler again.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:07 pmSome should terrorize Frank M….oh forgot, he’s terror-fied all the time. What a piss soaked little man you are Frank, do yourself and the world a favor and get a gun and then put it to your….and blam, no more terror, you won’t have to hide under your bed anymore, you subhuman piece of scum.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:11 pmBut I saw it on the TV show ‘24′ and Glenn Beck said it was true.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:34 pm