Dylan from Something Requisitely Witty and Urbane.
Sometimes, you don't even have to work that hard to find some serious fault with people, because they write the kind of thing that lets you know that you never have to take them seriously again.
Because Wizbang's Jay Tea, already a self-proclaimed "thinker", sure has his thoughts figured out when it comes to torture.
Rob from Say Anything brings up Senator John McCain's constant push to ban torture by the US government. It's a fine, noble sentiment, and certainly understandable from a man who spent literally years being tortured by the Vietnamese government, but is it really such a good idea?
I think not.
Not that I really need to show you anything beyond this, but it gets better:
For one, McCain says he wants to do it because he believes it would improve America's image abroad. I think that is a laudable aspiration, but utterly futile.
A classic self-reinforcing position: We could try to make our image better abroad, but they hate us anyway, so what's the point? Of course, torturing them is one of the reasons they hate us in the first place.
Further, "niceness" is seen as a sign of weakness in many cultures.
Luckily, we're in no danger here.
Being accommodating, obliging, considerate, and conciliatory sends the signal to some people that we are willing to yield on many issues, that a show of strength will convince us to back down rather than stand up for our beliefs.
Because the issue is, of course, etiquette. I mean, if they can't understand why we're sicking dogs on them or tying them to boards and simulating drowning, well... it's just more proof that these are "the wrong kind of people" with no manners at all. I'll bet they put their elbows on the table too.
Also, let's look at the most famous case of "torture" by the United States -- the Abu Ghraib situation. It was an aberration, a violation of several of our existing laws and rules and policies, and those responsible were tried, convicted, and punished. And let's not forget how the story first broke -- in a press release put out by the military. The Army itself aired its own dirty laundry, giving all those "investigative journalists" a huge leg up on the "scandal."
Some personal photos sent back home from a soldier to his friends had a little something to do with this too.
Look, a good many people, on both sides of the aisle, are upset that America has turned to torture, but it has happened because too many regular Americans, who are otherwise viewed as thoughtful, have given in to the too easy, vengeful, "Those fuckers deserve it," mentality while the rest of us are mourning the loss of the country we love.
That's the thing about allowing torture at our hands: It isn't about the enemy, it's about us.