According to Henry Nichols, U.S. torture and suspension of legal protections is “minor” compared to Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and North Korea. Nichols, describing one of his own violent fantasies in which he throws the Guantanamo detainees in the ocean and chums the waters, demonstrates just how aberrant and repulsive torture is and the depths of the souls from which torture is even thinkable. This is the “minor” cost of torture.
Besides revealing something of the psychology of those who think torture and civilized society can somehow coexist, Nichols goes on to trowel on a bunch of nonsense about both the detainees and their rights. He still maintains they are the worst of the worst, yet are being treated in accordance with the Geneva Convention, even being paid for their work. Unfortunately, 99% of these detainees (who were unlucky enough to be in the wrong place when the Northern Alliance picked them up, never had any connection to Al Qaeda or the Taliban. Of the 877 housed in Guantanamo, only 3 have ever been convicted of anything.
I would like to see Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, CIA director George Tenet, Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez, Maj. General Geoffrey Miller, and any of the Attorneys General (or even congressmen and congresswomen) who played a role or looked the other way brought to account for their participation in illegal detentions, torture, and extreme rendition. Photos of this treatment must go on public record, along with honest assurances that this will never happen again. In addition, all remaining detainees should receive trials in civilian courts – which have actually had a better track record in convicting terrorists than secret military tribunals. President Obama is making a huge mistake in trying to sweep all this under the carpet, as his predecessor did. A Special Investigator should be appointed to get to the bottom of this dark chapter of our history.
Those, like Mr. Nichols, who scoff at the severity of U.S. torture methods, or who think “it could never happen here” delude themselves and should be given the opportunity to experience waterboarding personally before declaring it so “minor”. Torture and contravention of the Constitution has happened here. We need to confront this reality and make sure it remains anathema to our (not always observed, but at least professed) democratic values.
This was published in the Standard Times on May 19, 2009
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/20090519/opinion/905190327
Comments are closed.