by extension, the Defense Department.

I've seen pictures of detainees with objects shoved in their asses. I can't imagine how this type of treatment would be conducive to an interrogation or serve any purpose whatsoever except to gratuitously inflict harm, pain, and humiliation.

It's unfortunate but this time around I don't think we will even see a constitutional stalwart like Kucinich introducing articles of impeachment. Not that it would matter. Glenn and the other liberal bloggers would simply ignore him.

"Almost nobody in the current generation is prepared to die (or even be imprisoned, with or without torture) to defend freedom, which is why we don't have it any longer".

and:

"The people who come after us, the ones who have watched us penned like cattle and panicked back and forth like dumb animals, will understand fully the nature of the beast that assails them. But people raised in indolent gluttony are not freedom fighters".

But that's why I had this idea to sent you and Heru (it rhymes!) and sinnard and adnoto out to

do what you do!

Glenn, I don't know if you read threads this far out, but, again, I have to point out that Shepard's ridiculous gabble is absolutely standard procedure for NPR and most public radio outlets. Public radio is largely run by a bunch of second-rate managers, who, more often than not, would rather prevaricate than tell the truth about anything. Especially when they sense any kind of danger to their livelihoods. they're as bad as the worst for-profit CEO--with the occasional rare exception.

You don't get to have Shepard's job unless you are a political animal of long experience. I'm sure Shepard has been frantically communicating with her bosses (her status as ombudsman notwithstanding), trying to find a line that will take your pressure off. So far, epic fail. Not too surprising. NPR has never been good at this kind of thing, and years of GOP rule in Washington have made them gunshy, in addition to incompetent to deal with most basic PR problems. NPR is desperate not to gore anyone's ox (unless said ox is helpless, then they have the spears out at the ready), and that's how you end up with incoherent, immoral gabble from people like Alicia Shepard.

Shepard is probably fairly intelligent. But she's been given her marching orders. If she made a hash out of them (and it looks like she has), it's only because the people who run her can't think of anything better to do when caught out the way you caught them. NPR will never describe what we did as torture. They can't take the heat they'll get if they do. Easier to fight with you about it than take the heat they'd get if they did the moral, intellectually-honest thing.

was soundly mocked for it throughout the megacy ledia when he had the temerity to launch a run for the presidency.

I am in good company. ;-}

My Hope™ is that the mockery comes back to haunt them should Graham decide to someday publish his documentation.

I've seen pictures of detainees with objects shoved in their asses. I can't imagine how this type of treatment would be conducive to an interrogation or serve any purpose whatsoever except to gratuitously inflict harm, pain, and humiliation.

Ms. Shepherd would probably say that they were attempting to induce an episode of reverse peristalsis wherein the object of their attention might be induced to produce a bolus of verbiage which may or may not be molded into something of 'value' to our intelligence apparatus.

Responsible People know that couldn't possibly be "torture".

@ mattconnelly:

"Obama took office thinking all the right things, I assume. He was going to close Gitmo, now he won't. He was going to reverse the Bush detention doctrines, now he won't. And on, and on.

So what accounts for it. His already running for a second term so he's afraid to get out in front of any real issues. Gays in the military, maybe next term. (You understand guys, wink wink.) Gitmo transfers to the US, yeah maybe next term. On and on.

Then if he gets reelected he's lame duck and everyone else is thinking of runnning for president. I think Howard Dean has it right, nothing changes in DC nor has it ever changed."

This could be the reasoning...COULD be:

Let me know if it doesn't work...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAaQNACwaLw

@notorbitboy

"I'm interested in what you all think as to why obama is doing this.

What's his motivation?"

There is no motivation on his part...he's the puppet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAaQNACwaLw

I used to think this was too far-fetched, but so far everything this administration is doing not only backs this up, it makes a lot more make sense in hindsight over the last 30 years...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAaQNACwaLw

I started to type it that way, thought about changing it, then thought about you, and decided to leave it. I think it sort of captures the mood of that cohort.

It would be great if Graham would write a book, but I don't think he has so far... I'll have to check it out.

his campaign plane was forced by a mechanical problem to make an emergency landing in St. Louis. We later learned that the problem was more serious than we were led to believe at the time.

Now, Obama had already announced his support for the "compromise" the previous week, but maybe somebody wanted to remind him to stay on board.

UNCAT: "It [torture] does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions."

it was July, not August, but interesting nonetheless.

I love that you continue to hold Obama's feet to the fire about the detainee issue and more related matters...it is high time for the blind devotion some have to Obama to end, and to stop letting him continue some of the most heinous of policies of Bush without many uttering a peep...if Bush was wrong to do it, then Obama is also.