"Torture," and a Step Too Far

You won't find any links today, there is plenty available to read online about this topic of "torture." Extreme measures, enhanced interrogations - call them what you will. I am saddened and disappointed... not by the brave men and women of the CIA who defend us everyday, but by a President who would sell them out to gain some political points with the far left at home and abroad. To this point, should you read my previous posts, I have always respectfully disagreed with President Obama on matters of policy. I have always said I believed his intentions and motivations were pure, but that he (from my perspective) is misguided.

No more.

I cannot respect a man of so little character that he and his administration would attack the very people whose lives are on the line defending us from terror in an effort to appease radicals who fail to understand the nature of this conflict. This is monstrously wrong, and this will end badly for all of us. Even our national security is not above petty politics to this man. Make no mistake, I am very angry. I am upset. I think former Vice President Cheney had some very good questions (on Fox News): why were some documents detailing this "torture" released, but very few that show the positive results of these interrogations? Mr. Cheney has called publicly for the release of additional documents, and I truly hope those are brought forth, and I hope that all involved avoid legal problems from this. They won't of course; this is a witch hunt, after all. But I hope and pray they do.

A word on "torture:" what we have done to these terrorists does not even qualify. Sleep deprivation, loud music, forced hygiene (I am not making this up), a member of the opposite sex being in the room with you, even water boarding which simulates drowning - if only our captured soldiers, civilians and agents were so generously treated in captivity. The standard of our enemies should not become our standard for the sake of reprisal, but I ask those who go on and on about how we shouldn't "torture:" with all the time and angst you are spending defending the rights of these animals, how about the rights of their victims? Who - in this day - is standing up for the rights of the 2,996 dead Americans from September 11th? If we were treating these terrorists roughly for our own general amusement, I would join the chorus of voices saying it is wrong. We must not become the monsters we are fighting. But there are principles at stake here; these interrogations are not about the end justifying the means, but about something more.

Here is a direct quote from the White House website, the Homeland Security page:

"The first responsibility of any president is to protect the American people. President Barack Obama will provide the leadership and strategies to strengthen our security at home."

How does throwing CIA agents under the proverbial bus assist in this commitment? I agree with the 1st sentence of the quote. The principle here is that the American President has the responsibility to protect the American people. President Bush did an excellent job of this in the wake of September 11th. The second sentence has become a sad, sick joke.

Our enemies are rejoicing as this administration assists them in weakening our national defenses. I pray that someone you love does not have to pay with their lives for this folly.