REPORT: Why Bush’s ‘Enhanced Interrogation’ Program Failed
REPORT: Why Bush’s ‘Enhanced Interrogation’ Program Failed
Yesterday, the Washington Post published an article on the Senate Intelligence Committee’s investigation of Bush-era interrogation techniques. Greg Sargent flagged two paragraphs of the story revealing that the White House intends to release a 2004 CIA report that casts serious doubt on the effectiveness of Bush’s torture program:
Government officials familiar with the CIA’s early interrogations say the most powerful evidence of apparent excesses is contained in the “top secret” May 7, 2004, inspector general report, based on more than 100 interviews, a review of the videotapes and 38,000 pages of documents. The full report remains closely held, although White House officials have told political allies that they intend to declassify it for public release when the debate quiets over last month’s release of the Justice Department’s interrogation memos. [...]
Although some useful information was produced, the report concluded that “it is difficult to determine conclusively whether interrogations have provided information critical to interdicting specific imminent attacks,” according to the Justice Department’s declassified summary of it.
Just yesterday, former Vice president Dick Cheney said of Bush’s “enhanced interrogation” methods, “I think it was absolutely the right thing to do. I am convinced, absolutely convinced, that we saved thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of lives.”
The truth of the matter — as this 2004 CIA report purportedly shows — is that “enhanced interrogation” doesn’t work. In fact, it endangers American lives and helps terrorists recruit new foot soldiers.
ThinkProgress produced an extensive report titled Why Bush’s “Enhanced Interrogation” Program Failed. The report shows that the “enhanced” techniques praised by Cheney yielded unreliable information that failed to stop attacks, mobilized insurgents, and ruined America’s moral and legal authority. Download a pdf of the full report HERE. Every time you hear a conservative repeat the canard that torture kept America safe, refer to this report as a handy rebuttal.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
I’ve been watching MSM all morning and this hasn’t been mentioned. Odd huh? Cheney can spew his lies and MSM falls over itself to report it, but barely a beep about this bombshell. Christ.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:00 amWhy is this a source of debate? Torture is illegal. Repeat, ILLEGAL. Period. Just PROSECUTE!
May 11th, 2009 at 11:05 amDick Cheney said of Bush’s “enhanced interrogation” methods, “I think it was absolutely the right thing to do. I am convinced, absolutely convinced, that we saved thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of lives.”
Dick needs to put away his hundreds of thousands of Lego “little people” because he obviously can’t tell them and his pretending from real people and reality.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:06 amAli, good work! It’s alright to use talking points when they are from reliable sources and are factual.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:07 amWhy did the enhanced interrogation program fail?
Because it was based on a false premise and wishful thinking.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:11 amREPORT: Why Bush’s ‘Enhanced Interrogation’ Program Failed
– - More easily summed up by The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:11 amIn a related story, Donald Rumsfeld and Alberto Gonzales have reportedly signed a contract with Crown Publishing to write a novel about a Bush administration enhanced interrogation program which succeeds. Proceeds from the fictional book will be donated to the Bush Library.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:14 amCHENEY: I am convinced, absolutely convinced, that we saved thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of lives.
_________________________________________________________
You know, the credibility of “enhanced interrogation” is pretty much on life support these days, with the plug about to be pulled.
If there is even a SINGLE INSTANCE of information gleaned from “enhanced interrogation” that foiled a possible genocidal attack on our country wiping out hundreds of thousands of lives, wouldn’t it be prudent to release that information, even if only to justify the practice?
As a citizen, I’d like to know this. If I see actual evidence that torture produces real results that really save lives, and evidence that this information could not have been obtained any other way, I promise to rethink my position on the matter.
Until then, I see Cheney spewing a bunch of empty hot air merely to save his ass.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:18 amFace it, we were led for eight years by people addicted to “24″ . . . probably because it corresponded to their collective IQs. The fault lies not with them, but with us for electing them and then re-electing them. For not being willing to make enough noise about wrongful war, wrongful methods, and wrongful actions.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:19 amI agree with krystalview.
This is all smoke meant to obsure the obvious.
If torture was effective, it is still illegal.
If torture was ineffective, it is still illegal.
Torture is illegal and prosecutions should commence.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:21 amProud Says:
——————————————————————————–
May 11th, 2009 at 11:19 am
How stupid can you and your rube ilk be if you still refuse to understand and acknowledge that it’s AGAINST THE LAW , jackass ?
May 11th, 2009 at 11:24 amChopping off the twig and berries of every male above age 12 will definitely save 1000s of women from being raped. I’m assuming Cheney, and other “ends justify means” types, would agree. So I wonder if Cheney will be first in line?
May 11th, 2009 at 11:25 amMeanwhile, the Obama State Department and others, have negotiated the release of Reza Saberi. See what kind of good things can happen when we work with the international community?
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_IRAN_US_JOURNALIST?SITE=WILAC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
May 11th, 2009 at 11:26 amHey Proud2BAGOPIgnoramus
Guess you conveniently overlooked this little “ditty” :
The truth of the matter — as this 2004 CIA report purportedly shows — is that “enhanced interrogation” doesn’t work. In fact, it endangers American lives and helps terrorists recruit new foot soldiers.
DUH………..
May 11th, 2009 at 11:27 amProud, all that means is that the report is being released as is, instead of having all the tentative language (that intelligence agencies utilize as a rule) removed from the report—like the Bush administration did when they were claiming that Iraq was a threat to the United States. The actual intelligence reports said something quite different, but by cutting out key words the administration turned it into a “slam dunk” in their favor.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:28 amI simply don’t care if torture worked or not. I do not wish to be kept safe by means that dishonor my country.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:28 am…
proud,
if you want to cut your head off
don’t let anyone here get in your way.
***
good luck.
:)
May 11th, 2009 at 11:32 amThe Bush Criminals NEVER kept us SAFE. They knew prior to 9/11 that bin Laden was a THREAT – clear and simple – as told to them by Clinton. Yet they refused to even consider bin Laden or his threats. And under Bush/Cheney, the U.S. was attacked on 9/11. Meanwhile Cheney continues to loudly proclaim, ‘Bush/Cheney admin kept us safe throughout 8 years.’
Now Cheney continues to ennunciate, ‘TORTURE works’. Was he physically part of the interrogations? Moreover, it matters not if he believes torture works since the only thing that matters is that it is ILLEGAL. Is he trying to provide PROOF POSITIVE that he is absolutely GUILTY of ‘authorizing torture’ for which he cannot only be prosecuted here in the U.S., but in the Hague as well. When will that occur?
May 11th, 2009 at 11:40 amIf someone runs a con and fraudulently bilks people of lots of money then the conman should be able to claim as a defense, yeah, but it worked for me, I made lots of money?
Torture is illegal on so many levels trying to justify it, for any reason, is just wrong. The courts are filled with people who feel they were justified in breaking the law.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:44 amI does not matter one bit whether or not whether ANY actionable intel was gleaned via torture. NOT AT ALL. Torture is a war crime. George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have openly admitted that they approved torture. Ergo Bush and Cheney are war criminals. Somehow this simple math is lost on trolls like Proud. Any actionable intel that was produced by torture could and SHOULD have been obtained through legal channels. BTW if an example existed where torture led to stopping an iminent attack, the Bush WH would have screamed it from the rooftops hoping to justify their torture program.
Proud, can you answer why the FBI was removed from the interrogation process when they were actually making headway by using legal and time-proven methods? The short answer is that we just don’t know why. I can hypothesise that the answer lies somewhere in the dark recesses of Dick Cheney. He and the rest of the neocons at PNAC wanted to go into Iraq for business related reasons (Haliburton/oil) long before 9/11. This is a well documented FACT. They needed an excuse now that Americans had been attacked and were “ripe” for accepting policy changes that would “protect” us from the terrorists thanks to an attack that they were praying for. To help convince America that we neede to divert our resources out of Afghanistan and away from Bin Laden we began hearing of yellow cake uranium. A proven forgery and lie that cost an undercover CIA operative working in Iran her cover as political retribution. Then stories started to emerge about a collusion between Hussein and al Quaida. Another lie boistered by false confessions obtained via..you guessed it…TORTURE(Ibn al-Shaylh al-Libi).
At the very least, Proud you must admit that enough evidence exists to call for an independent prosecutor can’t you? I mean if your boys have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide…
May 11th, 2009 at 11:44 amstep by step, drip by drip
maybe we will live to see our own domestic war criminals meet the justice they deserve
May 11th, 2009 at 11:46 amIf they cut your head off, I doubt we would notice any difference in your posts.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:47 amProud says: “torture everyone! I’m scared to death!”
man up, you little pansy
May 11th, 2009 at 11:48 amproud employs the childish argument “he did it first!”
His mother didn’t tell him that just because someone else is wrong, you don’t have to be wrong too.
There have always been torturers, who have always justified their means – the USA has always been above that, refusing to sink to the level of the torturers — until Bush&Co.
Now we are no better than our worst enemies and proud thinks that’s OK.
Pogo said – we have met the enemy and he is us — or at least when “us” represents people like Proud.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:50 amI like Wanda Sykes’ joke about Cheney justifying torture. She compared it to robbing a bank and then telling the judge, “Yes, I robbed a bank, but look at all the bills I payed”.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:53 amProud says:
So it did yield some useful information.
TORTURE is ILLEGAL – period! Information useful or otherwise matters not!
How stupid can the left be.
Not NEARLY AS STUPID as you show yourself to be!
Is your hatred of Pres. Bush so all encompassing that you can’t even read.
We don’t hate Bush – WE HATED HIS INCOMPETENCE, HIS ACTIONS, AND HIS LACK OF INTELLIGENCE along with the choices of officials and actions of most of his entire administration!
If any information gained saved one single life then I am just fine with waterboarding a few terrorists, who wouldn’t hesitate to cut your head off if given the chance.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:54 amThat were neocons and progressives DEPART ways because we progressives KNOW that TORTURE IS ILLEGAL [as has been said to you repeatedly]. If you are just fine with torture, I hope one day you have the opportunity to be tortured so you can still be fine with it and let us know how you felt about that experience. Until then, your rantings don’t make any sense to us since we have ‘feelings, intelligence and a moral compass’ and therefore, we differ dramatically from you.
Proud says: “torture everyone! I’m scared to death!”
This is a glorious example of the reptilian brain at work!
May 11th, 2009 at 11:57 amWho says the Gitmo and elsewhere prisoners were terrorists? A very small percentage were actually “scooped up on the battlefield” as Bush liked to say. The rest were turned in for a bounty.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:58 amEverything after and including the Supreme Court decision anointing Boy George and the Dark Lord has been based on lies.
Truth be told, George W. Bush makes me sad. I think he’s a tragic character.
Cheney makes my skin crawl.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:58 amSpeaking of beheading:
If one person wants to cut my head off? I get concerned that person may have problems.
If two, unrelated, people want to cut my head off? I start looking at my own behavior.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:00 pmSo why are we going through all of this?
Obama/Holder have essentially said that they will not DO anything about these issues.
I feel that they are totally wrong with their approach, but that’s neither here nor there.
If this goes into Congress (either the House or the Senate) the Republicans will turn the entire thing into a total circus.
Perhaps I’m a total cynic, but I think all of this is a waste of time.
The US has NEVER sunk so low as when they allowed this to happen and the lack of a spine on the part of the Democrats for not holding anyone accountable.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:00 pmA picture of three Dead Beats, and surely one living in Texas.What a waste and toll they taken on our great nation.That one living in Dallas, Texas need to pack his bags and get the hell out of here and go live in Iraq, and take the other’s with him.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:02 pmdogjudge Says: The US has NEVER sunk so low as when they allowed this to happen and the lack of a spine on the part of the Democrats for not holding anyone accountable.
Back up the train there. This is not about Democrats or Republicans, this is about AMERICANS who have allowed this to happen. This compartmentalizing is just so much crap. Terrorists aren’t human, Democrats are spineless, Republicans are, whatever you want to label them for actually doing the dirty deed…America did it.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:07 pmI posted this down page, but it fits here as well (from C&L).
Regarding the terrorist who lied under torture, and was recently found hanged in his Libyan cell:
In Egypt, he came up with the false allegation about connections between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein that was used by President Bush in a speech in Cincinnati on October 7, 2002, just days before Congress voted on a resolution authorizing the President to go to war against Iraq, in which, referring to the supposed threat posed by Saddam Hussein’s regime, Bush said, “We’ve learned that Iraq has trained al-Qaeda members in bomb making and poisons and deadly gases.”
Four months later, on February 5, 2003, Secretary of State Colin Powell made the same claim in his notorious speech to the UN Security Council, in an attempt to drum up support for the invasion. “I can trace the story of a senior terrorist operative telling how Iraq provided training in these [chemical and biological] weapons to Al Qaeda,” Powell said, adding, “Fortunately, this operative is now detained, and he has told his story.” As a Newsweek report in 2007 explained, Powell did not identify al-Libi by name, but CIA officials — and a Senate Intelligence Committee report — later confirmed that he was referring to al-Libi.
Al-Libi recanted his story in February 2004, when he was returned to the CIA’s custody, and explained, as Newsweek described it, that he told his debriefers that “he initially told his interrogators that he ‘knew nothing’ about ties between Baghdad and Osama bin Laden and he ‘had difficulty even coming up with a story’ about a relationship between the two.” The Newsweek report explained that “his answers displeased his interrogators — who then apparently subjected him to the mock burial. As al-Libi recounted, he was stuffed into a box less than 20 inches high. When the box was opened 17 hours later, al-Libi said he was given one final opportunity to ‘tell the truth.’ He was knocked to the floor and ‘punched for 15 minutes.’ It was only then that, al-Libi said, he made up the story about Iraqi weapons training.”
May 11th, 2009 at 12:12 pmCal Malenky Says:
Who says the Gitmo and elsewhere prisoners were terrorists? A very small percentage were actually “scooped up on the battlefield” as Bush liked to say. The rest were turned in for a bounty.
Even those captured while fighting the US and allied forces would be better described as “enemy combatants”, not “terrorists”.
Terrorism has a pretty defined meaning, and some tribal fighters in the far regions of Afghanistan can not be described as terrorists. Al-Qaeda, ETA, IRA, Hezbollah, those can be called terrorist groups.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:16 pmWhy Bush’s ‘Enhanced Interrogation’ Program Failed
Because pussies who were too chickenshit to serve when their country asked DO NOT DESERVE TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE MILITARY.
PERIOD.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:17 pm“…we saved thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of lives.”
Prove it…
…oh, that’s right, you can’t.
Cheney is a liar.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:19 pmwiley Says:
Truth be told, George W. Bush makes me sad. I think he’s a tragic character
SAD? A TRAGIC character my ass!! This barbaric war criminal is living a cozy life, protected by the Secret Service, paid for with our tax dollars, raising one million dollars a day for his library ( all of it blood-soaked-money, no doubt) I find it revolting to think of all the ways he destroyed our country!
May 11th, 2009 at 12:26 pmI have to wonder.
In the aftermath of 9/11 if there was ANYTHING that certain “Americans” would not have accepted?
Take someone who hasn’t even been charged with ANY crime against Americans, etc. Put them in front of a camera. Put a gun to their head and pull the trigger.
At the end of this, make a statement that this is what America does to its enemies.
Put down your arms, or . . .
No one’s life saved. No ticking bomb scenario.
Simply murder the person because they MIGHT have done something against the US.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:30 pmDid I miss the “next wave”? Oh I guess it did work.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:40 pmIt’s not just that. The GOP has become an outlaw party in every respect. For Republicans, corruption is considered a virtue, war crimes are their passion, and elimination of civil liberties is a hobby.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:42 pmPelosi is no Republican
May 11th, 2009 at 12:44 pm#12 Proud
Just what useful info was provided. Here’s some tidbits from some reality:
May 11th, 2009 at 12:47 pm“In the end, not a single significant plot was foiled as a result of Zubaydah’s tortured confessions, according to former senior government officials who closely followed the interrogations. Nearly all of the leads attained through the harsh measures quickly evaporated, while most of the useful information from Zubaydah — chiefly names of al-Qaida members and associates — was obtained before waterboarding was introduced, they said.”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008942569_torture29.html
Proud, you ignorant pussy, waterboarding IS torture, and it HAS been prosecuted by the US.
You’re just so terrorized by Cheney and FOX that you support anything that you believe will lessen your fear.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:55 pmWell, krystal, neglect in infancy can result in the failure to bond, form trust, and develop a conscience. W. was raised by George H. W. and Barbara Bush—and maybe nannies that they treated like dirt.
Cheney—I think he’s a psychopath.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:57 pmProud Says:
——————————————————————————–
Still nothing but stupid responses. Someone explain why since you all think torture is illegal why there haven’t been any “War Crime Trials”? Allow me to answer, it was not illegal, there will be no prosecutions. Just because you get all your infomation from left wing web sites does not make it true. Obama the great constitutional lawyer he is would have surely have had Holder jump on this if there was a case to be made. Torture worked, the messiah Obama will do nothing about it. Case closed.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Torture isn’t covered in the Constitution , jackass ; only international laws/treaties that are signed by the US are…..
BTW
Prosecutions are conducted at the highest level by the Attorney General , not the President.
Go read a book , stupid ass………
May 11th, 2009 at 12:58 pmProud Says:
——————————————————————————–
DNFP Says:
Because pussies who were too chickenshit to serve when their country asked DO NOT DESERVE TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE MILITARY.
I guess that includes Obama, good post DNFP
May 11th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
When was Obama asked to serve in the military , jerkoff ?
During ‘Nam , when he was 10 ???????
May 11th, 2009 at 12:59 pmWell we’re learning what happen to the missing detainees. One is now surprisingly listed as dead. Oh not at Gitmo he was said to be transfered to Libya and die but no date or time some even say he was murdered. But this works out for Cheney as the detainees who died was the one who gave the fake information. Now we have only Cheney’s word to the story. Look for others to be listed as dead with the Cheney Assassanation Squad working fast to silence all. Who knew Gaddafi and the Bush Administration were such good friends over the pass 8 years. With President Obama looking to make peace with the World look for someone to speak up on the criminal action done by the Bush Administration.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:00 pmThere’s a big difference, O stupid troll. When President Obama was of draft age, there was no draft. Or ongoing conflict for that matter.
And? You still haven’t provided any evidence that “torture worked”. You’ll forgive us if we put more faith in various documents that have come to light than the words of the Dick.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:01 pmSo Proud, if I get what you are saying you are trying to assert that torture is NOT illegal?
May 11th, 2009 at 1:03 pmProud Says:
Still nothing but stupid responses. Someone explain why since you all think torture is illegal why there haven’t been any “War Crime Trials”? Allow me to answer, it was not illegal, there will be no prosecutions. Just because you get all your infomation from left wing web sites does not make it true. Obama the great constitutional lawyer he is would have surely have had Holder jump on this if there was a case to be made. Torture worked, the messiah Obama will do nothing about it. Case closed.
=======
Proud you right-wing imbecile, “why hasn’t Bin Laden been caught after 8 years and why did Bush invade Iraq on based ‘wrong intelligence’ information?”
Does Cheney know if Bin Laden is still alive or dead?
May 11th, 2009 at 1:03 pmProud Says:
——————————————————————————–
MCMetal Says:
You need to read abook moron, I guess there is nothing about cruel and unusual punishment in the constitution. Holder is Obamas puppet if he says prosecute, Holder will jump like a trained seal.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
According to whom ?
A Bush Adoration Brigade member who adores that entire dogshit admininistration , including Bush’s Mexican Mall Lawyer …………..Wow , what a real compelling argument.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:04 pmProud Says:
“Holder is Obamas puppet if he says prosecute, Holder will jump like a trained seal.”
While that was most definately the arrangement during the Bush Administration Proud but you shouldn’t assume that it is the norm.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:04 pmProud makes me so angry with there baseless post.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:05 pmProud Says:
——————————————————————————–
Boy you are stupid McMoron. I guess during “Nam” when someone was drafted that means they were “asked” to serve. Every citizen is “asked” to serve in an all volunteer military, the brave ones serve the losers become community organizers.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Hey Proud2BAGOPIgnoramus
What does that make 5 deferment Dickhead Cheney and AWOL deserting moron ex-cheerleader Bush then , you colossal imbecile ?
May 11th, 2009 at 1:06 pmProud is proud of being an ignorant bigoted pansy.
He thinks America is too weak to defeat terrorists without resorting to war and torture.
He needs to stop projecting his own shortfalls and insecurities onto the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:08 pmI guess only liberals believe that America is big and badass enough to protect itself without giving up what she stands for.
It must suck to live life so paranoid and full of fear.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:10 pmProud Says:
——————————————————————————–
Although some useful information was produced, the report concluded that “it is difficult to determine conclusively whether interrogations have provided information critical to interdicting specific imminent attacks,” according to the Justice Department’s declassified summary of it
This came from TP’s own post, once again read your own propoganda. Useful informatin was produced.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
The truth of the matter — as this 2004 CIA report purportedly shows — is that “enhanced interrogation” doesn’t work. In fact, it endangers American lives and helps terrorists recruit new foot soldiers.
Since when does the Justice Department’s summary of intel usurp intelligence reports on useful info , tool ?
CIA = Central INTELLIGENCE Agency ; understand , dipshit ?
May 11th, 2009 at 1:11 pmDFNP, are you referring to the chickenhawks in the Bush Administration?
I don’t think presidents need to serve in the military. How much can a person actually learn about the military without studying it and making a career of it? It’s not like a magical-mystical entity that you can only grok if you’re among the initiated.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:11 pmYeah, those rubber underpants must be very uncomfortable.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:12 pmProud loudly proclaims…I am proud of my country for standing up and violating it’s own laws.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:13 pmJust yesterday, former Vice president Dick Cheney said of Bush’s “enhanced interrogation” methods, “I think it was absolutely the right thing to do. I am convinced, absolutely convinced, that we saved thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of lives.”
If this was true, the Bush Administration would have, long ago, revealed what intel lead to stopping what attack. Every time they said they stopped a potential attack, the attack proved to be all in their fertile imaginations.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:16 pmwiley Says: I don’t think presidents need to serve in the military. How much can a person actually learn about the military without studying it and making a career of it? It’s not like a magical-mystical entity that you can only grok if you’re among the initiated.
No, they don’t need to serve but it helps to understand just how the military trains and indoctrinates the personnel. The chickenhawks have never served but they understand how it can be used to their advantage.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:17 pmProud Says: All the info has not been released, Bambi will only release informtion that serves his purpose.
Ever think about taking up playing poker as a means of livelihood? You probably shouldn’t.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:21 pmI still haven’t seen any proof that “torture worked”.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:23 pmProud Says:
You need to read abook moron, I guess there is nothing about cruel and unusual punishment in the constitution. Holder is Obamas puppet if he says prosecute, Holder will jump like a trained seal.
Could it be that the writers of our constitution couldn’t even contemplate our country condoning torture? There were strict rules even back in the Civil War where it came to the humane treatment of prisoners.
And even though a ban on torture was not in our constitution it is in the Geneva Conventions and the UN Convention Against Torture, both of which the US signed.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:24 pmProud Says:
——————————————————————————–
MCMoron Says:
So you hve seen ALL the inteligence informtion, boy you must be realy well connected. All the info has not been released, Bambi will only release informtion that serves his purpose.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Proud2BAGOPIgnoramus ; and you have ??????
I already posted repeatedly the 2004 CIA report that purportedly shows that “enhanced interrogation” doesn’t work ; while you keep harkening back to a Justice Dpartment report.
If there was nuclear fallout somewhere , whose report would be more reliable on the amount of radiation in the enviroment , Homeland Security or NRC’s (Nuclear Research Center) , tool ?
May 11th, 2009 at 1:25 pmProud says:
“I’m so scared, there HAS to be some secret document that proves my overwhelming fear is justified!”
grow up and grow a pair, you coward
May 11th, 2009 at 1:25 pmwiley Says:
Well, krystal, neglect in infancy can result in the failure to bond, form trust, and develop a conscience. W. was raised by George H. W. and Barbara Bush—and maybe nannies that they treated like dirt.
Wiley, you are far more generous in spirit than I am. I see this monster as a selfish,cold, narcissistic, destructive, greedy bastard who – because of his upbringing – learned to bully a Nation to its knees!
May 11th, 2009 at 1:26 pmRantingTommy Says:
——————————————————————————–
Proud says:
“I’m so scared, there HAS to be some secret document that proves my overwhelming fear is justified!”
grow up and grow a pair, you coward
May 11th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
You’d have a better chance of success running down to the beach and asking the waves not to break ……….
May 11th, 2009 at 1:26 pmDuring the Revolutionary War, the British frequently tortured American prisoners. George Washington strictly forbidded any mistreatment of British prisoners, thus beginning a long, proud tradition, which lasted until the yeat 2001.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:29 pmProud Says:
——————————————————————————–
Hey Mc Moron do you even know what “purportedly” means. Where do you get your info from. I know the left doesn’t want everything released because it will show that torture works.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
The “everything” that wasn’t released includes that TWO THOUSAND AND FOUR CIA report , Proud2BAGOPIgnoramus ; guess who was president then , you mind-bogglingly stupid GOP leg humping tool ?
May 11th, 2009 at 1:37 pmProud, you ignorant pansy
it DOES NOT MATTER if torture worked or not, it is ILLEGAL
the FACT that it doesn’t work is irrelevant
YOU are just such a coward that you want people tortured if it makes YOU feel safer
May 11th, 2009 at 1:37 pmProud Says:
“…I know the left doesn’t want everything released because it will show that torture works.”
Now we’re getting somewhere. We have agreed that Bushco’s policies condoned torture and that torture was used. That’s something. Now…
we still need that proof that torture works and that torture that works is legal, not a war crime.
Can you help us out there, Proud?
May 11th, 2009 at 1:37 pmBTW Proud2BAGOPNutHugger
There still has never been any DOCUMENTED case of torture actually working ………..Besides the fact it’s still illegal.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:38 pmProud,
I find you “pat” replies rather reflective of your sources of information rather than actual thought.
I’m sure you’ll simply discount these items rather than look them up. I’m not about to go through the trouble of proving them to you.
Under international lawS, waterboarding IS considered a war crime. Other countries have successfully prosecuted people for it. The US prosecuted successfully, 2 Japanese soldiers, 1 US soldier (for an incident while I was in the AF during Vietnam), a sheriff and his two deputies. Again, that’s just US prosecutions.
Bush/Cheney and Vietnam.
Cheney’s multiple deferments speak for themselves. The guy is a COWARD. He could have easily served if he wanted to. (And you want to make another reference to Obama being a community organizer? When there was a WAR going on. When there was a DRAFT. Cheney CHOSE to become unavailable.)
Bush is no better. During that time period, the Air National Guard was a ticket to avoiding Vietnam. The waiting list was about two years and you DEFINITELY had to KNOW someone to get in. They were referred to as FANGs. Air National Guard was the later part of the pejorative. I’ll let you guess the first letter.
Because of BUSH, the Air National Guard, and the other National Guard units have been FORCED into missions that they were NEVER trained for.
What Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld have done to the military is nothing short of a crime. FORCED extensions of enlistment contracts. FORCED return to service. Tours SIGNIFICANTLY longer than other recent wars, including Vietnam.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:39 pmSee Reactive Attachment Disorder. If these kids don’t develop trust and empathy by the time they turn 18, then they are called “sociopaths”. The conscience we were fortunate enough to have developed through the care of a reasonably empathetic and reliable adult during infancy is a neurological construct. Sociopaths simply don’t have the architecture in their brains which is conscience. That’s why it’s important to hold them responsible for their actions even though they don’t feel responsible. Unchecked sociopaths can do an enormous amount of damage to an awful lot of people, especially when they can use and/or authorize violence.
They can often sincerely think of themselves as moral people, because they just don’t get it, at all. They are physiologically incapable of getting it. But they usually know when they’re breaking the law, and it’s important that they suffer the consequences.
I think we really need to learn how to recognize these people and keep them out of jobs for which they are worse than just poorly suited. I saw Bush coming a mile away.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:41 pmProud just keeps proving his home-schooled ignorance
The DOJ handles prosecutions, and the investigations are ongoing.
President Obama does not believe in politicizing the DOJ. That is something dishonest right wingers like Bush and Cheney did.
Poor little proud, always wrong, always scared, always a pansy.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:48 pmProud Says:
——————————————————————————–
Torture is illegal, OK tell your Messiah Obama to grow a pair and do something. My guess since Pelosi and the rest of the Dems were fuly complicit, nothing wil happen. So find something else to whine about.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Hey tool
Unlike the last godawful president and administration , it is the Attorney General’s sole responsibility to hand out prosecutions in this instance ; why does your runny GOP cream cheese brain refuse to understand that ?
May 11th, 2009 at 1:50 pmI don’t have a messiah, Proud. I would be shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you, to find that anyone here thought Obama was the messiah. Is this just a corollary for a Republican messiah? Is your messiah someone who was or will be president?
May 11th, 2009 at 1:51 pmProud Says:
“Torture is illegal”
Thank you for the bold admission and gracious concession.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:54 pmmessiahs are for home schooled holy rollers, not thoughtful liberals
May 11th, 2009 at 1:55 pmlol, proud thinks liberals are the ones that are naive, and yet HE is the one that believes that torture produces usable information
life is not an episode of “24″, you ignorant little pansy
May 11th, 2009 at 1:56 pmProud is peeing himself and praying the Republican order of protecting the party uber alus is something the Dems buy.
He has to be sweating because the call is growing for ‘everyone’ who was complicit needs to be investigated. Including Dems.
Po,po, proud.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:00 pmWiley,
Bush = Sociopath…… I can agree with that!
May 11th, 2009 at 2:01 pmDo you realize that you just accused the Bush administration of war crimes?
May 11th, 2009 at 2:02 pmi just make fun of you naive, ignorant home schooled hillibillies
especially the ones, like you, that are so damned scared of everything that you look to the big govt republicans to protect your pansy a$$
your ignorance is what gives away your home-schooling
home-schooling is what parents do when they want to lie to their children and not have those pesky facts getting in the way
May 11th, 2009 at 2:02 pmRantingTommy Says: home-schooling is what parents do when they want to lie to their children and not have those pesky facts getting in the way.
I always thought home schooling was what parents did when they didn’t want their kids to be smarter than they were.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:04 pmThe comments (Cheney’s) come even as the Justice Department is weighing whether to prosecute Bush administration officials for authorizing the interrogation methods. Cheney, however, stated that the orders came straight from the top.
“He basically authorized it. I mean, this was a presidential-level decision. And the decision went to the president. He signed off on it,” he said.
Is Cheney preparing his defense? ‘Bush did it!’
May 11th, 2009 at 2:08 pmProud says: “I’m a pansy, I need Dubya and his cheerleading pompoms to protect me!”
Proud says: “I don’t care if torture is illegal, I’m scared!”
quit being such a pussy, you pussy
America is strong enough to defeat terrorists without resorting to torture or war
Only a pansy would not get that
May 11th, 2009 at 2:09 pmProud says: “I am home schooled, because my parents didn’t want me exposed to facts and their well known liberal bias”
May 11th, 2009 at 2:10 pmProud Says:No actually people home school, when they don’t want, overpaid, child molesting, unionized public school teachers filling their childrens heads with liberal propoganda,
Like I said, they don’t want their kids to end up smarter than they are.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:11 pmProud says: “If I went to public school, those molestation marks would get reported by the teachers and Daddy would get in trouble!”
May 11th, 2009 at 2:11 pmProud says: “Liberals are always trying to push reality onto people that clearly have no need for it!”
May 11th, 2009 at 2:12 pmProud says: “I’m ignorant and I want to stay that way, so home school me!”
May 11th, 2009 at 2:12 pmProud says: “Public schools teach science, and that contradicts the myths and superstitions that my parents want me indoctrinated with!”
May 11th, 2009 at 2:13 pmWell. There’s the stupid troll we all adore. In one brief thread he confirmed that Bushco ordered torture, that said torture is illegal, and that Trolls are terrified of education.
Bravo!
May 11th, 2009 at 2:19 pmlol, proud thinks liberals are all simultaneously rich hollywood elitists and welfare sucking freeloaders
that’s some home schooling for ya
but, just to be clear, I’m a software developer during the day and jazz musician at night. I own one home and am in the process of buying another as a rental property. I am happily married and own 2 nice cars and 2 nice motorcycles. I just released my 5th solo album and the 2cnd album with my jazz group.
I come here specifically to ridicule right wing cowards such as you, proud
thanks for dancing to my tune
May 11th, 2009 at 2:21 pmCan we get you on the jury at the Bush/Cheney war crimes trial?
May 11th, 2009 at 2:29 pmHey! Me too! Good hunting Tommy!
May 11th, 2009 at 2:32 pmdid I mention that I also pay an assload of taxes, and yet, because I love my country, I don’t whine about it
although, I have to admit, I am enjoying the tax cut that I, my wife, and 95% of taxpayers got, thanks to Obama’s tax plan.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:33 pmGood report, and definitely handy: why should the right have a lock on coherent talking points?
One quibble, though. What’s with all the emphasis on re-gaining our moral authority? It’s not like we haven’t had lapses in ethical behavior previously–My Lai, the CIA and Special-Forces trained death-squads and puppet dictatorships throughout Latin America, “morale bombing” (AKA deliberately targeting civilians to “break the will” of enemy nations) in WWII, etc.
Our entire Cold War posture was schizophrenic, with USAID, the Peace Corps and other agencies trying to make us look like saints while we consistently relied on some of the most brutal practices in history any time our corporate interests or perceived hegemony were threatened.
We need to acknowledge that this “enhanced interrogation” episode is just that. One episode in a long history of failing to live up to the high-minded ideals towards which we purportedly strive.
Note: I’m not saying that we are a bad country, or a bad people, merely that we need to be more aware of, and apologetic for, the mistakes that we have made and the prices which we have paid for them.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:36 pmI’m not angry, Proud, but I am a disabled veteran. Does that count? It’s a 50% rating, and I have a part-time job, so am I half a free loader? I’ll just take half of what’s in your wallet o.k.?
May 11th, 2009 at 2:38 pmProudMoron you are an ignorant piece of garbage. The claim decent information was obtained is disputed by the CIA people INVOLVED IN THE INTERROGATION. You are a coward. I can get money by robbing banks that doesnt mean it is a good idea. HOW useful was it and what price was paid? You would destroy our values because you are a coward. How ignorant is the right anyway. How cowardly are they? It is obvious that values, morality, right and wrong mean NOTHING to them in their cowardice. Man up stop being such a snivelling punk you are embarassing America. You are embarassing yourself.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:40 pmThat would be just an old gum wrapper and a fake number some girl gave him so he would go away and stop drooling on her shoes
May 11th, 2009 at 2:42 pmHomeschooling would be fine if it was done by people of some intellect. Instead it’s done by inbred trailer trash. Usually it’s done because the child doesn’t acclimate well in school. So you start with parents who don’t know how to raise a child and then you take him away from the only chance he has to learn boundaries.
And that is how you end up with bullies like Cheney and Proud who don’t have any sense of human decency and want to intimidate everybody they run into.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:43 pmAs long as we are quibbling, Sahu, I need to interject a point. As horrific as the bombings of WW2 were, one must remember that WW2 was a war between nations committed to the defeat of their enemies and we didn’t start it. And, even at it’s worst, the official policy of our nation was to spare civilians and treat prisoners with honor.
Even our dirty dealings in Third World countries payed lip-service to international accords and were done “off the books”. Bushco, on the other hand, waged aggressive war and made the mistreatment of prisoners a public policy. That’s what makes this particular sin so egregious.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:45 pmProudMoron
YOU are the king of stupid. You DEFINE stupid. You are the stupidest piece of trollturd in the known universe. Your ignorance should be studied for decades as the epitome of supreme moronity. There SHOULD be warcrimes trials and the fact there havent been isnt evidence no crime was comitted. Al Capone was never tried for the St Valentines Day massacre is that evidence that no one was killed? Do you even read the stupid posts you make? Arent you ever embarassed by how abjectly stupid you are? YOU are a moron case closed
May 11th, 2009 at 2:46 pmThis moron lives in a red state and then he thinks that somehow the teachers are liberal. I live in a Republican county outiside of Chicago and even though the teachers are highly paid union members I edefy you to find a liberal in the bunch. Frankly it pisses me off.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:46 pmActually it’s probably worth it to make a compilation of these comments with links and hand them out to all the right wing school teachers so they can see how the Republicans have demonized them.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:48 pmEugene, tell us what you really think of ProudMoron.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:49 pmProud likes homeschooling because he gets to take his mom to the prom
May 11th, 2009 at 2:50 pmReally! Because so far he’s been way to flattering!
May 11th, 2009 at 2:51 pmI think in this case, the homeschooling was mandatory.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:51 pmProudMoron you have it wrong as you always do it is cowardly ignorant pieces of shite like YOU that become child molesting pieces of garbage. They should dig up your back yard. Anyone as stupid and cowardly as you probably has a bunch of neighborhood children burried there after you molested and murdered them. You have no decency no brain no soul. You are an ignorant pederastice pile of dogshit
May 11th, 2009 at 2:52 pmWell that’s not as bad as it seems since his mom is his sister.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:52 pmWhy Bush’s ‘Enhanced Interrogation’ Program Failed
It is a WAR CRIME!
The USA has been using Redition and Torture for decades. The difference today is the fact that more people inside the US knows it now.
May 11th, 2009 at 4:19 pmPete says:
“even at it’s worst, the official policy of our nation was to spare civilians.”
Tell that to the citizens of Dresden, or Tokyo, or, for that matter, Hiroshima and Nagasaki (although we intentionally killed more civilians in Dresden and Tokyo, fire-bombings get less historical press than nukes).
This wasn’t “off the books,” we, alongside our British Allies, devised a specific strategy, called “morale bombing” which consisted of deliberately targeting the civilian population in order to break the will to resist of the militaries of those nations. We annihilated entire cities, and it was official policy.
Furthermore, using proxies to keep our hands “clean” during the Cold War made those actions more reprehensible, not less so, and I find your casual dismissal of such atrocity-by-proxy to be highly symptomatic of the cultural and historical myopia which fuels so much of the anti-Americanism which is so prevalent in the rest of the world.
May 11th, 2009 at 4:25 pmWe carpet bombed Baghdad. That’s like carpet bombing Paris.
May 11th, 2009 at 6:35 pmverry Good Site Thanks Yousesli chat sesli sohbet kamerali chat kamerali sohbet Görüntülü chat Görüntülü sohbet ajans chat sohbet araba motosiklet sesli chat sesli sohbet
May 11th, 2009 at 8:47 pmDon’t believe anything Tommy says. He has proven to be one of the biggest liars on this site. His bragging is just that, a means to stroke his own ego.
Anyone who disagrees with his Liberal views is always called a coward. You have him right where you want him “proud”. When they start name calling then they are done.
The “dancing” thing has been stolen from me. He dances for me whenever I come to this site.
May 12th, 2009 at 9:23 amSo do I Proud. I also come here for the entertainment that these idiots provide. They never fail to dance for me and provide liberal comedy with their nonsense. They actually think that they are accomplishing something on this obscure (bigoted) site that the country makes fun of.
May 12th, 2009 at 9:28 amWhen did we “carpet bomb” Baghdad? It never happened wiley except in your mind. More liberal garbage.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:14 pmIf you’re really a Vet then you should know what “carpet bombing” is. I doubt your credentials.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:18 pm