John McCain Versus Torture

May 15th, 2011

Joe Conason wrote a splendid piece this weekend regarding Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) spirited and righteous condemnation of the liars and criminals (especially Thiessen and Yoo) from the W administration and their crude attempts to capitalize on the death of Osama Bin Laden.

I have published more than a few pieces (HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE) since lauching this blog about these sick and depraved violations of American principles. Indeed, this issue was the primary catalyst for me starting The Hand in the first place.

I have also lamented Sen. McCain's silence over the last few years. But now he has, at least to a degree, redeemed himself. Seriously, he shut the FOX lie machine down. That's no small thing in this day and age.

From Conason's piece via Truthout:

"For the longest time, a certain admirable, independent senator from Arizona disappeared from public life, replaced by an irresponsible, opportunistic and occasionally demagogic figure, who seemed to have been warped by his presidential ambitions and his disappointment in losing. But John McCain has now returned, just in time to refute the sinister attempt by his fellow Republicans to justify torture as the instrument of Osama bin Laden's demise.

During the last administration, even as a supporter of the Iraq invasion and the "war on terror," McCain broke ranks with his party to protest the worst excesses of the George W. Bush presidency. In one of the most memorable moments of the otherwise desultory Republican primary debates in 2008, he cited the Constitution, the Geneva Conventions and American military tradition to upbraid Mitt Romney for waffling on the issue of waterboarding. "This is what America is all about," he said indignantly. "This is a defining issue."

With every right-wing enabler from John Yoo to Marc Thiessen to Liz Cheney suddenly stepping forward to suggest that that the death of bin Laden absolves Bush-era criminality, it is refreshing to hear McCain's clear, strong voice of opposition. The torture advocates have claimed that the waterboarding of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a high-ranking leader in al-Qaida and an alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attack, caused him to reveal the identity of a courier whose trail led, almost seven years later, to the hideout in Abbotabad, Pakistan.

McCain is having none of this nonsense."

Neither are we, Mr. Senator. Neither are we.

Incredibly Reluctant Hat Tip

May 12th, 2011

As we have noted with disdain, the criminals of the previous administration have seized upon the operation which killed Osama Bin Laden to not only excuse acts of torture but also to justify their advocacy of this immorality.

Enter Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). Sen. McCain is a servant of the people about whom I am greatly ambivalent. Nevertheless, his forceful counter to these manipulators and violators of America's values is to be hailed as an important contribution.

From today's WaPo.
"We did not learn Abu Ahmed’s real name or alias as a result of waterboarding or any ‘enhanced interrogation technique’ used on a detainee in U.S. custody. None of the three detainees who were waterboarded provided Abu Ahmed’s real name, his whereabouts, or an accurate description of his role in Al-Qaeda."

It gets better...

"In fact, not only did the use of ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ on Khalid Sheikh Mohammed not provide us with key leads on bin Laden’s courier, Abu Ahmed; it actually produced false and misleading information." EMPHASIS OURS

Hats off, Mr. Senator. And God Bless you for this one.

No Torture

May 3rd, 2011

As the right raced to make vulgar claims that torture is somehow vindicated in the wake of the death of Osama Bin Laden, the lie was put to rest by none other than former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

From a Newsmax exclusive:
"Asked if harsh interrogation techniques at Guantanamo Bay played a role in obtaining intelligence on bin Laden’s whereabouts, Rumsfeld declares: “First of all, no one was waterboarded at Guantanamo Bay. That’s a myth that’s been perpetrated around the country by critics."

Nope. Torture did not help get Osama Bin Laden. And, by the way, it's still un-American and immoral.

Quote Of The Day - Here And Now Edition

May 2nd, 2011

In response to some of the not only dubious but outright vile claims being made by Keep America Safe among others.

"One would think that if so-called “enhanced interrogations” provided the magic silver bullet, and if the courier was a protégé of K.S.M.’s, then the C.I.A. might have wrapped this up back in 2003, while they were waterboarding the 9/11 mastermind a hundred and eighty-three times." -- Jane Mayer writing for the New Yorker