"Effectiveness of waterboarding

Another idea you can write about is the contrast between the alleged effectiveness of waterboarding, vs. waterboarding someone hundreds of times."

Many variables are at play affecting the success of waterboarding:

health of detainee, severity/application technique, duration of each application, recovery period between episodes, etc.

The repeated episodes to which detainees are subjected is alarming (a brutal destruction of the victim's health); it signifies a sadistic, institutionalized practice that was/is embraced purely for the satisfaction of the torturer.

Imagine lying there hundreds of times choking on your phlegm and forced to inhale water into your windpipe, trying to come up with some truth or lies that will satisfy the sadistic SOAB "following his/her orders".

It's so quaint to hear public officials say "interrogators" shouldn't be held responsible, for it seems they have no ability to discern moral from immoral acts that were commanded by higher ups.

Nuremberg Trials were only an exercise in theoretical, military practices of a bygone era in which we learned to dispense with the weakness of being humane.

If one could take at face value the comments of Obama before the CIA (that you faithfully quoted) we could all take a sigh of relief.

What seems to be forgotten whenever this rhetoric about the vital, noble work of these dedicated operatives perform for America's security (see how gracious we must be to these lords of the clandestine)?

The CIA's deliberate structure is an orchestration of silent notes played outside of any national or international laws, codes, treaties and confinements of decency.

They exist purposely to operate without conscience and legalities so that transparency, accountability and prohibitions are not only impossible, but such democratic ideals applied to the CIA become useful only to show their impotence.

The real power has always been in the hands of JCOS and "The Company". That cheering (relieved) crowd that greeted President Obama was about their gratitude that obeying illegal and immoral commands absolves you of fault.

Panneta informed the President (possibly) that there was no further gain in prosecuting these acts of torture because CIA personnel would have jumped ship faster than roaches thrown on a hot skillet. the political injury and wrath of powerful resentment from the shadow agency would eviscerate Obama's presidency.

Once one accepts that this undercurrent government unto itself is immune from legal restraint, it's futile to think any politician or rule-of-law President will reign them in appreciably.

JFK did see that dark, unfettered, corporate alliance as threatening to our republic--it's budget and decades-long war with our citizens and regimes around the world should not be so easily exalted or summarily dismissed.

Our plea as Americans for open government is the very antithesis of a functioning CIA.

"...the only way to assess and judge these people is to look at what they DO not say."--bilejones

That would at least pertain to the intelligence community and at most GWB's press briefings.

"Maybe we can develop a musical chant that we will make it more fun and rythmic to repeat in unison."--Glenn

So far, any chant to drown out those flats that are falling dead upon the ears of we listeners of Obama's 100 Day Requiem would be so welcome.

Let the Gregorian lessons begin.

"There may never be any charges and we will almost certainly never have the unimpeachable historical narrative that we need."--(from the Truthout article on a Special Prosecutor)

As one reads "unimpeachable" denoting a reference not of men, but of narratives, the despair is acute in light of where we might be if it was not "off the table" going back to 2004--

"high crimes and misdemeanors"-- that flexible term that encompasses much of what is named-- Congress and Executive.

...more than half still believe if the President and CIA say we don't do bad things to accused detainees anymore--

you can take it to the bank (not the bailed out ones, though).

Until the media monsters, military and Wall Street dissolve their incestuous profit collaboration, Glenn will expose the media as the unfettered prostitution and mind control of self-interest that it is.

If it's less than half--let me know--but I'm still disgusted with the millions who believe there might be edible, but rat-gnawed cheese on the moon.

@cresttwo--

Ask Donahue (former out-of-fashion-against war host on MSNBC) how butter for the bottom line is cream for the pro-invasion agenda.

These corps will not ever let truthful journalism impinge upon or threaten their cooperative gain.

Donahue was a little too early for his time--now he'd be a gray, weathered sage who'd make KO his student.

"Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Monday praised the Obama administration’s early decisions..."

One looks warily at anything that SOS says, particularly creepy when he praises his arch enemy--Obama.

The same uneasiness is realized when shills like Lieberman praised Bush's war advances--the irony and convolutions baffle the boggles.

It's so inspiring to see that epitomy of "unsponsored", not-beholding-to-government-but-to-the-people-paid-for-by-your-

unregulated-cable-charges-systen-of-networks-C-span do what they do best-- give ample platform to military and otherwise all corporate interest--

especially the cable industry interests.

It's not enough we have the other nets doing patriot, WOT propaganda for our war machine, but C-span does the bidding with their current feature of the Iraq adventure's nobility.

Share and share alike--the airtime, but dominate the message.