Exploring Liberal Myths: Torture

Read enough Liberal websites and articles and you will come across this poem:

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out.

This poem is attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller and he was speaking about the rise of Hitler.  It is appropriate that Liberals would reference Hitler and Bush in the same breath – for them these two men are the same.

Mostly, Liberals think if you “take away” the rights of one man you take away the rights of all.  It is a lofty statement but falls somewhat flat when exposed to the light of reality.

By “torture” we are speaking mostly of Waterboarding.  Khalid Sheik Mohammad was the main person who was subjected to Waterboarding.  The CIA, however, confirmed that the technique saved lives:

The Central Intelligence Agency told CNSNews.com today that it stands by the assertion made in a May 30, 2005 Justice Department memo that the use of “enhanced techniques” of interrogation on al Qaeda leader Khalid Sheik Mohammed (KSM) — including the use of waterboarding — caused KSM to reveal information that allowed the U.S. government to thwart a planned attack on Los Angeles.

Furthermore, Waterboarding was used on exactly 3 people by the United States since 9-11:

For all the debate over waterboarding, it has been used on only three al Qaeda figures, according to current and former U.S. intelligence officials.

Liberals often say that when the United States uses “torture” we empower terrorists to, well, be terrorists.  Unfortunately for Liberals, terrorists don’t really need to use “torture” as a recruiting tool.  In fact, al Qaeda themselves have a nice, handy manual on how to really torture people:

Torture, al Qaeda style.

According to a story on the Smoking Gun’s website, al Qaeda teaches people how to:

U.S. military officials recovered an assortment of crude drawings depicting torture methods like “blowtorch to the skin” and “eye removal.”

So let us be clear… these things are torture… the United States does not treat people like that.  Sleep deprivation, putting scary bugs on their arms, playing loud music, etc… are very different from the manual presented above.  And yet Liberals act as if the three times Waterboarding was employed were as bad as cutting off a man’s hand (even though the Waterboarding saved many lives).

Liberals blame the lawless Bush administration for using “torture” even though dearest Nancy Pelosi knew about the EIT (Enhanced Interogation Techniques) for years and knew about fellow Democrat Jane Harman’s letter to the CIA about it yet chose not to sign on to it or write a letter of her own (though she heavily critisized Bush for using IETs the entire time).  Liberals also claim that Barack Obama ended “torture” by signing an Executive Order banning it even though he left open a huge door to re-introduce the technique (from the Executive Order itself):

(i) to study and evaluate whether the interrogation practices and techniques in Army Field Manual 2 22.3, when employed by departments or agencies outside the military, provide an appropriate means of acquiring the intelligence necessary to protect the Nation, and, if warranted, to recommend any additional or different guidance for other departments or agencies.

So Liberals again have it wrong on a variety of fronts.  al Qaeda is the one who tortures, not America, Waterboarding KSM saved lives, Nancy Pelosi knew about Bush’s use of “torture” but did nothing even though she said it was immoral, President Obama banned “torture” even though he left the door wide open to use the same techniques again, and anybody who thinks terrorists won’t find plenty of reasons to attack the United States if “torture” was banned are silly people.

To make matters worse for Liberals, 58% of Americans are in favor of Waterboarding the Christmas Day bomber and only 30% oppose.

On the matter of torture, I think we can safely say Liberals live in their own world, and it’s not one based in reality.

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Related posts:

1. Exploring Liberal Myths: America's International Standing
2. Pelosi, Torture, and Hypocrisy
3. Nancy Pelosi, Torture, and the Bush Narrative
4. Obama, Torture, and Blindness
5. Obama Maintains Another Bush Policy: Rendition