Because, my fuzzy thinking liberal friend, police departments arrest and interrogate people that are accused of committing crimes. Our military defends the country. Conceptually similar, but quite different.
An enemy combatant is not committing a crime -- they are pursuing diplomacy by another means. Most combatants agree to be bound by the codes of war such as TTH referenced. Terrorists like OBL & KSM are not criminals. They are combatants who don't subscribe to the rules of war and thus should not be accorded the same respect/forbearance that would be shown a member of a military that did abide by those rules. Our political rhetoric often clouds the issue by referring to "crimes against humanity" and 'seeking justice for the victims". We aren't seeking justice in a legal sense, we are seeking retribution as a nation by killing those bastards and making an example of them to deter others from trying it. At its roots though is defense.
While water boarding may arguably be a violation of the rules of war, if those rules don't apply, it is a very humane way to extract the information needed as it produces no lasting damage to the individual (unlike say pulling out their fingernails like the Viet Cong did to some of our guys in the 60/70's). Consider this analogy, you are a boxer and are used to fighting according to the rules of that sport. You come up against a UFC kind of opponent who proceeds to kick you in the balls? Are you just going to stand there with your gloves up because that is the way you are supposed to fight?
Originally Posted by pjorourke
Well stated PJ.
Did you ever read about how the VC would tie captured U.S. soldiers to a stake with their hands tied behind their back? Then the VC would put a live rat in a burlap sack, put the sack over the man’s head and then cinch tie the sack at the man’s neck. The rat would go for the soft parts: the eyes, the cheeks, the nose, the tongue. Witnessing such torture often broke the resolve of even the most stalwart among the remaining captives.
More recently, Al Qaida’s ritual beheadings seem to be all the rage. Anybody remember Daniel Pearl? Sometimes it’s tough staying on the moral high-ground, but I admit, we should always try.
WTF’s opinion in these matters might be different had he ever volunteered to serve in the U.S. military rather just than reaping the fruit of financial success wrought from the service of others. WTF is very fond of talking about seeing it from other peoples’ POV, so that old saying, “walk a mile in their shoes” seems appropriate here. This would be even more appropriate if he’d under gone the rigors of SEAL training—which is not that different from the enhanced interrogation techniques used on some GITMO detainees.
