Letters to the Editor
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Dangerous liaisons
Cofer is a dangerous person to be a close advisor to the president. I just finished reading the book Blackwater, which I highly recommend to anyone who wants to understand Cofer's role in the creation of a private military force more "advanced" and "effective" than our nation's own military, which is for hire around the world. It is a GRAVE concern that Mitt Romney, who clearly has very little understanding of foreign policy and the responsibilities of being Commander in Chief, is taking his advice from such sources.
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Willard Romney
Willard.
Willard The Torturer. The Smiling Assassin. The Mormon who believes literally in every word in the Bible. He said so last night. So homosexuals beware. If "Willard" is elected president, he's going to do his best to have you stoned to death.
I fear Giuliani, rightly so. But what I see in the expressions and the words of this utter jackass Willard Romney, is beyond fear, it's more like dread.
Willard. 1971 Horror movie. A social misfit who's only friends are a couple of rats he named Ben and Socrates. When one of them is killed at work, he goes on a rampage using his rats to attack those who have been tormenting him.
Willard. Your next President of the United States.
Oh boy.
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McCain had the perfect response for Romney
I'm not a republican by any stretch of the imagination but I will say that McCain's response to Romney's craziness was something to be proud of. I agree completely with every word of McCain's answer and he deserves to be covered in the media for standing up for American ideals when it comes to warfare.
Romney is a baby compared to McCain in this arena.
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"And I get that advice from Cofer Black, who is a person who was responsible for counterterrorism in the CIA for some 35 years."
To the average voter that name is meaningless. He was sending a clear message to Blackwater.
And I agree, McCaine deserves much credit for his reply.
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Romney's a businessman
And darn proud of it. This is the executive leadership he'd bring to the White House (unlike other candidates who've "never run anything."). So, of course the advisors Romney will turn to are other businessman--like Cofer Black of Blackwater. In Romney's eyes, the best advisors are those with a financial stake and bias in the outcomes.
After all, it worked so well under Dubya.
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Romney
Romney replied, in part: "I want to make sure that what happened to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed happens to other people who are terrorists ... He went to Guantánamo and he met G.I.s and CIA interrogators. And that's just exactly how it ought to be."
So, Romney's afraid to die? If he believes in the Christ and since he's framing this conflict as Christian fundies versus Muslim fundies, he should pray for another attack so he can go cuddle with Jesus. He acts as if he's afraid to die, as if, he doesn't believe in Jesus or that planet where Mormons go in their special underwear. Romney is as much a huckster as the founder of the church of mormon, except Romney wants to be a huckster with nukes.
But at least he hates the gays, so good ol' boys, vote for him!
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Vice Chariman of Blackwater?
You mean the guys who recently slaughtered a bunch of innocent Iraqis?
Yeah, good call Mitt.
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makes perfect sense
you waterboard them until they confess to being terrorists, then it's OK that you waterboarded them, because they're confessed terrorists and they deserve it.
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Romney's Apparent New, More Frightening Rationale For Torture
--Romney replied, in part: "I want to make sure that what happened to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed happens to other people who are terrorists ..."--
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What nobody seems to notice here (unless there are significant deletions that are replaced by the ellipses in Mr. Grieve's post which change the conext of what Romney may have said) is that Romney has now seemingly accepted a new reason for torture, namely, RETRIBUTION. Here we do not have Romney advocating torture in order to provide intelligence (as dubious as that "rationale" is). Instead, we have Romney advocating torture for terrorists generally--as punishment. This is a heretofore unexpressed "rationale" (in the U.S., anyway) for this abhorrent practice.
Romney is now advocating torture as an end in and of itself. In other words, if you are a "terrorist," however that term might be defined by the President at the time (without, of course, any recourse to the courts), you have it (torture) coming to you.
It is telling (and disgusting) that this country has stooped to the point where these previously unacceptable practices are the subject of mainstream political debate. It has been a long seven years.
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@ goferit2
You make an excellent point.
Romney's using torture to "multi-task." Hey, if we don't get reliable and actionable intelligence, at least we made the guy suffer!
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Classic sociopathic behavior is now a team sport
Sadly, sociopathic behavior in the US isn't rare, at least not anymore. Experts estimate that 4% of Americans have a sociopathic disorder. In other words, 1 in 25 have no functional conscience: they can't empathize with other people, and they lack the ability (or the will) to feel guilt, remorse, or shame for anything they've ever done. Contrary to popular belief, most sociopaths are not in jail and they don't foam at the mouth like Hannibal Lecter; they live next door, or sit in the same pew, or work in the office down the hall. Observation would suggest that quite a few of them have moved to Washington...
One indicator of sociopathy is a person’s attitude towards torture. As demonstrated by an MRI, when a normal person sees a picture or even imagines torture, there’s a marked reaction in certain regions of their brain and the person "feels" empathy towards the torture victim.
When a sociopath looks at the same picture, there is little to no reaction. They feel nothing. In other words, sociopathic people lack the ability to even register something that shocks and repulses the rest of us. The only way a sociopath understands something is if it actually happens TO HIM.
Isn't it interesting that McCain is the one holdout on the Republican side, and happens to be the only Republican who has actually experienced torture?
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On so many levels....
We really are sinking into barbarism.
Our Constitution dis-allows "cruel & unusual punishment" - but it's okay, if they're not US citizens (and, even if they are, and one offends a cop witha taser); and if they have not been charged with nor convicted of anything. So, it's not only okay, but becoming mandatory, that we torture those designated a "terrorist", based on some nebulous criteria (mostly it seems based upon their name, and where they happen to have been apprehended).
This country once participated in judgment of (and hung) leaders of other countries which practiced torture of their enemies. Now it's claimed to be practically our duty to mete out the same obscene treatment. Hell, we even claimed the right to effect "regime change" partly because Saddam Hussein practiced torture!
Christ said, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you", something I was raised on as "The Golden Rule". But our "christian" politicians (and citizens) are the most fervent advocates of torturing others.
Double standard, much? Or just NO standards left?