This morning, in our previous post, we chided the former Veep for being all over the media and going on and on about how safe we aren't. One of our readers - a mister "Jack Bauer" - posted the following comment. We found his question held enough merit to re-post here and reply back.
Jack Bauer said...
First off, I'll say that I don't like it when previous administrations take shots at the current administration. I didn't like it when Clinton, Gore and Carter all to shots at W and I don't care for it when Cheney does it to Obama (even though I agree with him). Its seem to lack class.
As I said, I agree with Cheney. Maybe, somebody can explain how closing Gitmo and stopping "enhanced" interrogation techniques makes us more safe. What is so wrong with "enhanced" interrogation techniques or even torture? It easy to take the high road and be against it but if you had one suspect that had critical information about a immanent attack on building that was going to kill hundreds of Americans. Who in their right mind wouldn't order it? If you still say no and that we need to be above torture, pretend your mom or daughter/son is in that building.
May 28, 2009 1:58 PM
RE: Jack Bauer
We here agree with your first point that whoever is out of office should lock it up while the other guy is in charge.
We also find your question to be valid, but aren't sure how realistic that scenario is. How much "real" intelligence is gained from one man or woman knowing one piece of information that's so vital he or she needs to be immediately tortured to retrieve it?
We're not terrorism experts, but we'd wager that the above situation is not as simple as it seems to be presented in almost every episode of your TV show.
(As a side note, we realize that you are a CTU agent - therefore a Bad Ass Dude - but it's still impossible to cruise through Los Angeles traffic in only 12 minutes. No matter how important the plot point moving you might be, no one can do that.)
We called our brother who happens to be both ex-military and a writer/expert in international security to ask his opinion. The conversation went like this:
MEvBLOG - 'Sup bro...Got a question about torture here.
BRO - Who is this?
MEvBLOG - How realistic are the scenes in 24 where someone has to be tortured or else Los Angeles will get nuked?
BRO - You know I have serious work to be doing right now...
MEvBLOG - Sure, but Jack Bauer just commented on the blog and we have to settle this.
BRO - It's a question of how much "actionable" intelligence you can get. Many think that people will confess to anything when slapped around. The Bush administration claims to have obtained lots of actionable intel through enhance interrogation. But those against torture don't think it's worth it and say the info is questionable.
MEvBLOG - So Jack Bauer is wrong?
BRO - Dude...Jack Bauer is fake.
MEvBLOG - Oooohhhhhh...he's gonna be so mad when he hears that.
BRO - You're adopted. I'm hanging up now.
So there you have it Mr. Bauer. How do we know the intel from torture is worth the act perpetrated to obtain it? How do we know those being interrogated aren't just confessing because they're under duress?
And...can we get your daughter's phone number? She's kinda hot.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
In response to Jack Bauer
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7 comments:
I agree with Jack and if anyone says they would not do anything if their family was in danger to gather the info, then they are either lying or do not care much for their family members. I would do anything to save my family from acts of terror or danger.
RE: Anonymous 4:11
But that's not the question that's up for national debate. It's not about whether or not one person's mom/dad/son/daughter will die if a terrorist isn't waterboarded. It's about whether or not waterboarding would actually save your mom/dad/son/daughter.
And that question has yet to be answered.
Perhaps one of the largest problems facing our modern society is how people confuse television for reality. It's great to see Jack Bauer get the bad guy without having to go through all those nice, superflous, things such as civil liberties. It doesn't matter though. The terrorists got your wife and kid and plan to blow them up with Personal Nukes (Only $19.99, you get one for free if you call right now ...)Look at CSI. You can't send those accused killers to the lethal gurney ride, you have to have DNA, dilithium crystal-magnetized evidence! Are we becoming a nation of dumbasses? No. We elected W two terms and we give Snarlin' Dick Cheney our consideration and allow something called "The Bayou" exist on what was at one time, many years ago -- perhaps before any of your editorial team were born -- a great newspaper. What a crock it all is. As the great Pogo said: "We have met the enemy and he is us." Oh well, at least you Mr. Me v. the Blog can half-ass speak your mind and most times you do so with much more intelligence than most of the morons who post comments. As for me, I am not a moron because I am very safely ensconced in the class of imbecile. But you get my drift.
RE: Recory Word Verification
Thanks! I've never thought of myself as "half-ass" before. Rarely do I feel I'm more than "quarter-ass," but everyone is his/her worst critic, right?
So, anonymouse agrees with torture, "rendition" and keeoing people in prison with no charges, no lawyer and no end in sight? Are you aware that ALL OF THIS is unconstitutional?
If these people had any information, it's years old by now and useless to anyone. How does it make us "safer" to place human beings in prison with no charges, no legal help, no access to information in countries thousands of miles away and no way of obtaining it. All of this is in clear violation of the Constitution and all the international treaties that this country has signed on to, indeed, almost forced other countries to agree to also.
Aren't all these people tired of letting the government scare you into peeing in your pants every time you look at the news?
It's not the president's job to "keep America safe".If that were the case, there would be no guns available at Walmart, no, storms, no car wrecks and no illnesses.
The oath of office the president swears to says " to protect and defend the constitution of the United States of America".
Also, movies are an odd way to form your opinions about what's really wrong with the world.
Like it or not "enhanced" interrogation techniques work and not just on TV. All I'm saying is I want every tool available to protect my family from terrorist. Plus, waterboarding doesn't cause long term damage. Its not like they are cutting fingers off.
Reality is that this is an ugly world filled with bad people and these bad people only respond to force. You can't hug terrorism away.
The prisoners at Gitmo are not US citizens so the Constitution doesn't apply to them.
Its not the President's job to keep us safe? Really? If its not his job, who has that job?
RE: Jack Bauer
The thing is...we don't know that they do work. If they did - and it was between waterboarding someone or letting the country blow up - I think that would be a no-brainer.
But the problem many have is more with the intelligence gleaned from the techniques than the techniques themselves.
If you don't get good intel...why hurt someone for the sake of hurting them?
Also, I do not advocating hugging terrorists. Just saying...
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