I write alot about torture here, or more specifically, the implementation of torture by the Bush Administration following 9/11. Military and intelligence personnel are on record asserting that torture is ineffective, yields unreliable information and places American troops at greater risk. As Major General Paul Eaton recently said:
“torture is the tool of the lazy, the stupid, and the pseudo-tough. It’s also perhaps the greatest recruiting tool that the terrorists have.” (Link)
But there's more to it than that for me. Anyone who speaks with authority argues torture is worthless and stupid, but I think it's shameful as well. I refuse to let go of my image of America as that whole shining beacon of light thing; a country grounded in fairness and justice and higher standards. A country we could always be proud and certain wouldn't resort to the kind of tactics used by the Nazis or KGB or Khmer Rouge. It was just unthinkable that, under any circumstances, the U.S. would stoop to that level of depravity. The Nazis and KGB and Khmer Rouge, of course, argued that they tortured prisoners because they had to - all in the interest of national security. The Bush Administration's use of similar justifications do nothing to differentiate the U.S. but, rather, just make the connections even more apparent.
So, I acknowledge there's an emotional component to my opposition to torture. And it's damn hard to even say out loud that my country tortured people in my name. And I suspect it's hard for a lot of Americans to acknowledge what's happened the last seven years - what we've allowed to happen in our name for the last seven years.
Having said all that, Rasmussen has a new poll on the subject:
Overall, among all voters, 25% believe war crimes were committed while 54% disagree.
Seventy percent (70%) of the nation’s voters say it would be bad for the United States if the former president and senior administration officials were brought to trial for war crimes. A majority of Democrats (53%) agree with that assessment.
Nineteen percent (19%) of all voters hold the opposite view and believe that bringing Bush Administration officials to trial for war crimes would be good for the nation.
Thirty-six percent (36%) of U.S. voters say Congress should hold hearing to investigate possible government wrongdoing during the Bush years. Democrats, by a 57% to 27% margin, believe such hearings should be held. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of unaffiliated voters agree as do nine percent (9%) of Republicans.
Twenty-eight percent (28%) believe Congress should hold hearings to investigate possible war crimes by the Bush Administration. Sixty-percent (60%) disagree.
Now, torture advocates might take heart in these numbers. Here's how I see them; one in four Americans believe the United States committed war crimes. (Honestly, I never imagined that in my life I would ever hear the terms war crimes and United States in the same sentence.) Notice also the large undecided numbers in each category. I would argue that as time passes and evidence becomes more available, the majority of those undecideds will conclude war crimes were, in fact, committed by U.S. forces.
On a related note, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture said yesterday he believes there is sufficient evidence to prosecute former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for war crimes.
"We have clear evidence," (Manfred Nowak) said. "In our report that we sent to the United Nations, we made it clear that former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld clearly authorized torture methods and he was told at that time by Alberto Mora, the legal council of the Navy, 'Mr. Secretary, what you are actual ordering here amounts to torture.' So, there we have the clear evidence that Mr. Rumsfeld knew what he was doing but, nevertheless, he ordered torture." (Link)
It may be that Bush Administration officials do escape investigation of war crimes charges in the United States, However, my prediction is that, in a couple years time, the majority of Americans will believe these crimes were indeed committed. I would also predict that while the international community may call for investigations, the U.S. will want to look the other way and not pursue full scale investigations.
I suspect that for many, just like me and all those undecideds in the Rasmussen poll, it's almost too shameful to consider and too difficult to aknowledge as true.
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