The good news is, while we’re doubled-over in gastrointestinal agony in the pre-death throes of Ricin poisoning, we can retch and vomit and soil our undies with blood and feces secure in the knowledge that no terrorist was degraded in his efforts to bring about our deaths.
And that makes Jesus happy.
****
previous torture discussions here, here, and here; also, John Cole slips into his hairshirt and argues the McCain side here.
But… What Would Ramada Do?
How very sporting of our Vlasti.
-Spit-
Dr. V
tw: audience. Not much of a show if we actually
give it our all.
Whenever I hear news of a terrorist attack, I find myself wondering, “Okay. But how’s Khalid Sheikh Mohammed doing right now?”
Thanks to the McCain Amendment, I know now that he’s doing just fine.
Which makes this American sleep a whole lot more peacefully at night.
Incidentally, is anyone giving odds on whether Sullivan’s post about this will refer to America having now “reclaimed its soul” or somesuch other retarded, purply-prosed horseshit? If so, I’m in for ten.
As VDH puts it:
Thus I am forced to conclude, much as it galls me to say it, that we should replace the interrogation manual with the Ramada Inn Employee Handbook.
Ah, he just posted. “A huge step forward … for American honor.”
Remember, per VDH: if we torture Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, we’re little better than people who fly airplanes into skyscrapers.
So, if torture is now banned outright, according to McCain’s definition, does this mean no more comments from Dr. V de la V, Wadard, Jake (Not the Intelligent One), and Phentermine in a time of Rolaids?
I sure hope Andrew Sullivan’s gob is going to be ok now.
Has anyone taken the time to consider the logical outcome of this legislation?
Since “torture” is now defined subjectively, there is no reason to believe that we will ever gain useful intel from detainees. I have always had my doubts about whether “coercive interrogation” techniques do anything other than extract lies, but those who believed in them now have no reason to expect that they can get useful information.
Result? There will not be any more prisoners taken. Everyone dies on the battlefield. Why take prisoners when the only thing they can be now is a liability?
No, McGehee, it means that someone released from Gitmo will complain about being kept locked up, being fed by kaffir, and not having the ability to fully express his religion (ie, not being able to kill the kaffir around him) will say it was “torture”, and all the usual suspects will scream about American hypocrisy.
What we’ve just done is signed a treaty with al’Qaeda: they may do as they please—kill whomever they want, in what ever way they desire, and we will treat them as if they’re lawful combatants carefully following the laws of war.
Won’t happen. Witness the furor over a Marine shooting a terrorist playing possum.
What will happen is that a lot of our guys are going to get killed. Imagine what the mood will be in Gitmo when one of their
seditionistvolunteer lawyers lets them know the US will prosecute anyone treating them in a “degrading” manner.Fer crissake, did anyone read “The Cell”, the book about the 9/11 terrorist cell? While Mohammed Atta was in Germany, he went into a stomach-churning rage when he saw “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves”. The terrorists think that non-Muslims showing them anything but subservience is “degrading” to them.
Another thing—the first uproar over Gitmo came when the pictures of the terrorists in orange jumpsuits, shackles and blindfolds were released. Anyone want to bet that’s declared “degrading”?
Any bets on whether shaving the terrs will be called “degrading”?
Feh.
Wonderful. Another outstanding piece of legislation, courtesy of Senator McCain. I really wish McCain’s roster of bills made law were as insignificant and harmless as Kerry’s.
T/W: “Give,” as in ‘tis the season of giving. Up, apparently.
Yeah, yeah. But don’t you feel better now?
And as long as we all feel better about ourselves, I’m quite certain we’ve taken a step forward in the war against Islamofascism.
Unfortunately, I sorta lost it and left some choice words for his commentators at the bottom of his comments section. I think some of them would make good Red Coats, can’t ruin their pretty uniforms or break formation. This is really why military history should be taught in schools [as opposed to internments 101 and a-bomb 102], so people have a sense of perspective of how wars are actually fought.
I really question how objective McCain can be about this issue given his own experiences in Vietnamese POW. I’m sure that was terrible, but it’s no reason for us to tie our hands behind our backs here. The Vietnamese went too far with their methods, but that doesn’t mean that the United States would ever do the same. Judicious use of torture is of great value in interrogation. We throw it out at our own risk. And I think it is simply ridiculous to have a former POW leading the fight against interrogation techniques.
There’s actually another Congressman who was tortured at the Hanoi Hilton and who opposes McCain’s ammendment – the fact I can’t even find his name via Google says how much press he’s gotten. Still, you’re right, it is only another appeal to emotion and personal status, not reason.
Does this mean no more Jessica Simpson Holiday Specials?
Because that might be worth the whole blood-soaked feces thing.
McCain is a national treasure. It’s just too bad that the nation happens to be ours.
Brian, I think you are right. We used to kid the “Special Friends” guys going out of our base that they could solve two problems for us at once: shoot more (we wouldn’t have so much trouble with ammo storage) and capture less (the detention facility was crowded and at the time we were feeding them packaged halal meals at about $13.75 a pop). I sure hope that doesn’t go from a joke to a reality. Dammitall.
Oh, and just remember the first thing Congress passes everytime it legislates something is the Law of Unintended Consequences.
I wouldn’t vote for McCain anyway, and yes, I vote in primary elections. This plus his “Free Speech Curtailment Act,” AKA McCain-Feingold absolutely guarantees that I will not be voting for him. McCain-Feingold was enough by itself. This merely seals the deal.
That was a classic Major John, I gotta remember that.
Allah,
Remember, per VDH: if we torture Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, we’re little better than people who fly airplanes into skyscrapers.
I think his point was that too many people will say we are little better, including quite a few here in America. It sucks, it’s bullshit, it’s not fair, but there it is.
P.S. Dude, bing back the photoshop love. We’re all pining.
Those people are going to say that anyway.
The other ex-POW you’re thinking of is Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas).
Maybe McCain is doing this to get the over/under lower the next time we have a war because right now everyone bets the spread.