But, what if the facts are that a kiss on the cheek will get you more than kicking the **** out of them or torturing them? Would you change your mind then?
Possibly, however it would have to be more evidence than one, or two ex interrogators that the liberal left is touting as some sort of 'told you so' example.
This is the testosterone fueled attitude that actually does not work.
Here’s sworn testimony from Ali Soufan, the ex FBI interrogator who elicited “actionable” intel from Abu Zubaydah before Cheeney’s CIA goons came in and insisted on torturing him. He is a walking testimony for why torture Is not only ineffective, even in a ticking time bomb fantasy, but…... stupid as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S88mZArx4IE&feature=related
Paraphrasing from the video, Mr. Soufan testifies:
So, if we want intel to save lives, why would we use techniques that have been proven to not work? The only reason people like these techniques... they inflict pain.
There are 5 other vids in this series. Anyone who wants to know the truth of torture effectiveness should watch these. Otherwise, you're just speaking from a position of ignorance.
No I don't think that ignorance is the totality of the situation here, and neither is some sort of, as you put it 'testosterone fueled' need for vengeance. It is the realization that after some thirty plus years, maybe more of ignoring the problem of the jihadist war waged on the US and western civilization as a whole by Muslim thugs that hold a 7th century vision of dominance want not to negotiate with us as a people for peace, but rather want to dominate our culture and force us into submission, or kill us. If you don't understand that precept of the Koran, and where radicals are using it to fuel hatred within their own culture, and project that hatred outward into manifestations of attacks, and death around the world aimed at western civilizations, then sir, it is you with your eyes and ears plugged so as not to see.
What you show me here with the video is exactly what the liberal left that often seems to side with our enemies more often than not in this country, and that is to hold up one example of someone with inside knowledge of operations, and extrapolate that to a one size fits all scenario. Then taking that lone voice and speaking for the intel community as a whole. It is disingenuous, and dangerous as a tactic, and harkens back to a time where America thought themselves invincible to outside attack due to our power, and the set up of our country being a fortress country.
In short, I view this struggle as one where conventional scenarios of war, and peace are useless in the outcomes of normalized culture, fore the enemy we fight bears no flag, but has many nation allies either through willingness, or forced submission. It is an ideological threat that is at least 10 times more dangerous than that of any of the conventional wars we have ever fought where an enemy could surrender and sign a treaty. This enemy wants no treaty, no talks, no quarter. Only submission, and death.
So you can believe all you want that we are our own worst enemy, and that you can somehow reason with a true enemy that bases their war on total destruction of western culture through any means necessary, and be content to watch your country, and way of life disappear only to be told in stories to future generations, I for one do not accept that. Be careful my friend whom you bed with in the ideal of destroying western civilization, you may be the first 'useful dupe' they come after.
j-mac