I know that Bush and the gang do not consider doing what they authorized to be torture. If it was or was not torture that is another debate.
Still why do people think Bush was the first President that endorsed or knew of these tactics? Why is he Dr Evil and no one else is?
My aunt's brothers was in Special Ops and did stuff this nation will never know. He was at the whole School of Americas thing and served a good bit of his time under the Clinton Administration. Trust me this enhanced interrogation stuff was going on.
There is one reason why in spy movies when we see people getting roughed up by our various Govt groups we seem to think that is plausible.
It would be something if these documents could be declassified now. Would there be a general Freak Out at VOX NOVA if it was learned that dear Ole Robert Kennedy knew and endorsed certain enhanced interrogation techniques in our effort to get rid of Castro and in various other operations world wide. We had the CIA in Afghanistan during the Carter years. What did he know?
In our vast unoffical war during the cold war what did Reagan, Carter, Ford, Nixon, LBJ, Kennedy , IKE, and Truman know about what our guys were doing in places like South East Asia, Central and South America, the Middle East , and Africa.
When they get that little daily intelligence report each morning, which would perhaps scare most Americans to read, I suspect it was discussed how some of this information was obtained.
It appears Bush's cardinal sin and those White House lawyers cardinal sin was trying to bring order out of Chaos and to try to place limits. Why does everyone else gets a pass?
I mean lets face it the Catholic left has been screaming about the School of Americas for DECADES. However now it is just bad ole Bush we hear about. It seems everyone has got amnesia all of a sudden.
JH
ReplyDeletePerhaps, as has been said in many places, GW Bush claimed to be pro-life, but he worked to undermine what it means to support the dignity of human life. The School of Americas is indeed bad, and was bad under Clinton. Who said otherwise? Clinton wasn't a saint, and I don't think anyone portrays him as such. Nor do people portray he was some great defender of morality. GW Bush, on the other hand, that is how he is portrayed: and so that is why he is a concern. Of course Clinton and Obama are involved with the culture of death and American military might. Perhaps you need to stop looking at Vox Nova under Republican/Democrat eyes and look to what is said; then you will see your presentation is false. Read the criticisms of Obama -- they are there. Read the criticisms of the School of Americas -- it is there.
Yes I know the criticism are there.
ReplyDeleteHowever the tone of many post on the GOP and Bush is that these torture things seems to have been some new radical innovation. Bush introduced the torture regimes and such
Now I think Bush was Pro-Life. I think in his view he has a different view toward enhanced interrogation that is to be honest shared by a lot of folks around the poltical spectrum and not just the GOP.
Let me give you a example. In my estimation one of the most important Presidents and one I admire greatly is LBJ. LBJ did more for Civil Rights in this country than any President. He is generally regarded a huge important Civil Rights President.
Now if were to find out that LBJ was fully aware and endorsed enhanced interrogation inSAouth East Asia and in the various things we had going on in the Americas would we have to excommunicate him? Would he name deserved to be tarred and not deserving having the label Civil Rights anywhere near him.
I think not. I would hope not.
It seems Bush's problem was that this was far more out in the open.
So when I see posts adn articles all over the web that Bush introduced the "torture regime" I think that is nonsense.
Now VOX NOVA is very consistent as to their criticism of the School of Americas and other issues. However my gripe is often lately it seems tied to one partisan figure without context.
I mean it appears there is a good case leading liberal democrats knew to some extent what was going on. People like Pelosi are given huge benfits of the doubts if not absoultion. No one talks about what leading members of the Federal Govt knew early on. It was the Bush Administration knew
I guess the point I am making is that the concept of Torture and or enhanced interrogation has been going on for a long time. That is one reason why so many people regardless of party find it ok. We assume the Govt does these things. Now that does not make it right. However the continued focus on torture and conservative poltical thought is sort of limited if that is far as we go. Espcially since Party Identification is at a all time low.