Friday, June 5, 2009

Waterboarding

Advocates of waterboarding like to imply that anyone who opposes the use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" isn't really interested in keeping America safe. This point of view conveniently overlooks the fact that the US Military refused to do waterboarding.

The U.S. Army strictly prohibits the use of waterboarding during intelligence investigations by any of its members. It is specifically prohibited by Field Manual 2-22.3 and is not a sanctioned interrogation technique in any training manual or any instructions to soldiers in the field,” the statement says. (source)

Anyone want to suggest the Army doesn't care about national defense or isn't interested in gaining actionable intelligence? 

I think the use of waterboarding is really a failure of imagination. It's just one more example of failing to distinguish between the need to do something and the need to do this. There were clearly several viable alternatives...

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