On We must confront the torturers who acted in our name

Posted on April 18 at 7:20 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

I love how torture is only justified if it fits YOUR agenda Darwin. And just for the record....I wasn't diverting the issue, I was responding to Pharm. As for RAF and I, we have first hand EXPERIENCE and knowledge in regards to warfare, military life, and our mission. YOU HAVE NONE (besides your "select" reading. Social status, you say? I am myself, I am proud to be who I am, and I am not worried about how I am viewed by others, you especially. Next issue, For the third time, I am not trying to "justify" torture...I don't know how many times I have to say that. In fact, I have never even told you if I am for or against torture, you assume that I am for it. What I am for is saving American lives, that is what I am for. That is still my most important mission, and I will continue it until the day I die.

On We must confront the torturers who acted in our name

Posted on April 18 at 9:47 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

Pharm,
As I already explained to you....I am NOT justifying torture by saying that our enemies use it! I am asking where the outrage is when our soldiers die from a single gunshot to the back of their heads! If you want to know how the waterboarding worked.....ASK OBAMA TO RELEASE THE BLACKED OUT PARTS OF SAID CIA MEMO, since he is so willing to give away everything we have worked so hard to build and collect.

On We must confront the torturers who acted in our name

Posted on April 17 at 5:10 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Well, lakennedy, pharm, and darwin1,
As an individual who HAS been trained in various kinds of interrogation and interview, I ACTUALLY can speak to the effectiveness of both. You base your decision on which tactic to use after you analyze your source of information. As released in the CIA report today, Waterboarding, used twice, was used on the most dangerous and knowledgeable sources captured during the initial stages of Operation Enduring Freedom. In addition, the report that a man was closed in a box with stinging insects was false...the memo simply stated that they talked to an enemy combatant about doing that to him in the interrogation, because the combatant was known to be afraid of stinging insects. You have to use leverage to gain information, and use it tactfully with rapport, based on the elements presented to you. You determine the detainees personality and knowledge, and determine your steps accordingly. In addition, with the exception of RAF, none of you have probably ever been on a foreign battlefield, or have had to try and collect information that could save your brothers in arms, or American lives. It has become a media myth (to which you say RAF and I are just simpletons watching FOX and listening to RUSH) that enhanced interrogation tactics do not work. I highly doubt that YOU have read multiple field manuals from around the globe on interrogation and tactics, and read about the effectiveness of different methods. In fact, within most field manuals, there are forms of "interrogation" that the US would never even consider talking about. I doubt you have a broad based knowledge of military tactics and history. In fact, I am pretty sure I have heard every one of your arguments today on CNN, MSNBC, CBS, and every other liberal news media outlet there is (which is about 75% of news media available to the public). In response to my promotion of "an endless cycle of revenge", I am not advocating torture in anyway, or promoting the idea of waterboarding in the future, and I am not using the examples of Jessica Lynches platoon or American citizens that have been beheaded as a means of seeking revenge. I am simply wondering why you never speak of your outrage in regards to the way OUR POWs, soldiers, and citizens are treated after capture. When US citizens and soldiers are captured, the majority die....period, and that has been true long before the most recent wars have taken place.

Finally, I would like to know how Cynthia Card and Alfred McCoy became experts in torture. Reading and harvesting certain parts of documents and investigation to promote your side of the argument does not make you an expert. It does make you a UW professor. As a former student, and top 1% graduate of UW, I know.

On We must confront the torturers who acted in our name

Posted on April 15 at 10 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

We, as Americans, are always held to a higher standard compared to the rest of the world. Our definition of POW's under the Geneva Convention are recognized soldiers and combatants serving under a country's flag, and recognized by that country. These enemy combatants are in limbo because they do not serve in a uniform for a country, and are serving an ideology. No war will ever be won due to a country surrendering anymore. There will be no white flags, only insurgencies. However, to say that torture didn't work, and to release documents pertaining to the CIA programs, would be detrimental to all parties. Contrary to popular belief, the United States got great cooperation from nearly every country it asked in it's efforts to capture enemy combatants, high value targets, and go after terror cells. The United States and Bush's policies WERE highly effective in minimizing the threat to the United States. To call waterboarding torture, and claim the United States should be investigated and prosecuted for war crimes is asinine. Everyone belly aches over two cases of waterboarding, while they turn a blind eye to the rest of Jessica Lynch's platoon, who were executed with shots to the head after being captured at the beginning of the Iraq war. And don't forget any foreigner or soldier captured by Al Qaeda, they lose their heads on national TV. But of course, we don't worry about what they do, because they are doing that to our soldiers because of what Bush did....right? Good grief people. Someday, when the time is right, this classified and sensitive information will be released, and as Obama has been finding out after taking over the presidency, much of it was extremely necessary.

On Obama leads us down a slippery slope

Posted on March 3 at 8:11 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

Sorry to break it to you "optimism", but until Obama and his cronies, (ie. Pelosi, Prince Harry, Feinstein) realize that there are bigger problems on hand than investigating the Bush administration, this country will never get anywhere. They are definitely good at using distractions to get ridiculous policy changes passed, and keep a nice smoke screen up. All the investigations into the Bush administration are doing is giving the liberal media something less important, and less damning to talk about (than Obama's current policies). To go into a 3.5 trillion dollar deficit with no money, no plan, and no members of congress that read any bills sent through, we are in a little bit of trouble. Even worse, our kids and grandkids will probably be paying 70% of their income in taxes because of us. Oh, but let Obama tell you he's not raising taxes. He is almost right, except for the fact that he will, and Jim Doyle is being Obama's proxy on taxes. Let's tax everything and anything during this recession (looks like that thirteen dollars per paycheck won't do so much, seeing as the new taxes will take care of that on a daily basis. Well, optimism, keep hoping that Obama reveals some national security secrets, or Feinstein talks more about secret programs to the national press. The loose lipped liberals are putting our soldiers, and the American dream at risk!

On Wis. soldier says he won’t return to Iraq

Posted on February 23 at 9:43 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

I apologize the blunt comment, but I believe that anyone who has not served in the military, or has a close relation to the military and its functions should get their facts straight. In regards to the fact that all the supporters of this soldier continue to argue the point of the war being necessary or not, it is really a non-issue. This reservist signed up for his commitment, and he has failed to live up to his contract. He should be issued an Article 85 under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and undergo his required trial. This is no different than if he decided he just wanted to get out of the Army Reserve. Just because he has been to Iraq once, does not give him the "right" to opt out. Many of our National Guardsman are leaving for their second or third tours this very week. Let us support THEM for serving their country, and leave this young soldier in the background. The fact that we are paying so much attention to this reservist is ridiculous. Why don't we stand up and be proud for those who commit, and serve with dignity.

On Wis Legislature passes bill to start fixing budget

Posted on February 19 at 4:19 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

This bill is almost as ridiculous as the Federal Stimulus Bill just passed. If Doyle would not have been so open to taking funds out of the Transporationt budget, and furthering an agenda instead of helping the state, we would not be in this predicament. In addition, he is going to be taxing more at the worst time possible. Pretty soon, every state around WI will be spending money on commercials to draw in business, and all they will have to use as a SLUG is "We're not Wisconsin"