Legalize Torture II - UPDATE

Yesterday, following the lead of Andrew Sullivan, I noted that we should face up to what we've become. We are a nation that allowed its government to torture hundreds its prisoners without demanding any accountability whatsoever. We demanded no criminal investigation, no "Truth Commission," and we passively watched the Justice Departments of two Presidential Administrations repeatedly invoke the "State Secrets" privilege - even when all of the material facts of the case were matters of public knowledge - to foreclose the possibility of civil liability and subsequent exposure.

Some of the people our government tortured were completely innocent of wrongdoing - although their guilt would hardly exonerate our government.

And now, Congressional legislators, expressing the views of the majority of American citizens, are attacking the President for allowing the "Pantie Bomber" to be tried in Federal Court - rather than declaring him an "enemy combatant" and subjecting him to "enhanced interrogation techniques."

Simply put, we have embraced torture as a necessary defense against terrorism. Let's admit that and change our laws to reflect our values and preserve the integrity of the law.

Alas, that is too painful - so we either avoid the subject or lie to ourselves. Most of us are quite good at distracting ourselves. I'm pretty good at it most of the time, and I'm not as good at it as most people.

And it is quite astonishing how good some people are at lying to themselves. Consider the money quote from Mark Thieson at National Review Online:

"Of course, we have not endorsed the brutal, barbaric torture of any American citizens."

To this I say, thank goodness we have someone with as much integrity and courage, and as much talent, as Andrew Sullivan. I honestly don't know how Mark Thiessen deals with his cognitive dissonance, but I'm grateful that Sullivan pours it on with eloquence and without mercy.

Three Cheers for Sullivan.

Joe H.

UPDATE -

Sullivan once again dismantles conservatives who are trying to lie to themselves and to us about their support for torture. And lest any of you think this isn't painful for Sullivan, keep in mind that he's a life long conservative. He is the author of "The Conservative Soul."

As I've said many times, opposition to governmental torture is not merely a liberal position. It is also a conservative position. It should be everyone's position. It should be beyond debate. But it isn't. So its supporters should do us all a favor and own it. Man up! Stop telling us you didn't support what you clearly did support.