Steve said:
and set a dreadful precedent.
while I understand the consequence of setting such a precedent.. why should it be considered a dreadful precedence?
if torture is wrong.. and against international law.. why not have a open trial... and a criminal prosecution?
are we afraid of justice?
or are they more afraid of how the precedence would tie our hands in the future?
To have a trial would open the U.S. of A. to even more real trouble. The U.S. of A. is already regarded as a weak and ineffectual nation by many in the middle and far east - a trial would make it even worse.
Certainly India, Pakistan and China no longer have the same respect for the U.S. of A.. These three countries hold nearly 1/3 - 1/2 of the worlds population.
It is YOU folks who need to start fearing what is happening out in the rest of the world - and instead you fight like a family being torn apart on crack cocaine - allowing consolidation and even more effective take overs of third world countries by the "bad guys" - and yes - they are the "bad guys" - unless of course you are willing to surrender your way of life - or your childrens way of life to them.
It will also open the U.S. of A. to even more real potentials of terror within its own borders. Soften your tactics and you will be seen not as a law abiding country, but a weaker country to the international terrorism community. It is a huge community and it does not care about your laws and loves it when you haggle about your laws - it takes the pressure off of them.
Especially after the nice folks in the U.S. of A. are seen to be unable to control their own destiny and instead pony up to the party with the guys wearing sheets and towels. And those guys are real happy when you do - they gain intelligence and YOUR nice, cold, hard cash as "development money" - most of which never gets to to ground zero - instead it goes into despots pockets and into arms and research for nice friendly weapons that are more effective than bullets.
Those guys are smart - they may look like filthy rotten camel riders after a month in the desert - but they are SMART!!!
The only reason they do this "negotiation and peace talking" is to stall for time and consolidation - they then start again. Their tactics and strategy are wonderfully effective - and your government does nothing.
You cannot placate the real terror groups - Pakistan just learned that today when the nice people who just took over Swot and had Sharia imposed - beheaded a couple of government officials.
Do not tear yourself apart while the vultures who are sittting on the cliffs waiting to pick up the pieces. And that they are doing this becomes even more apparent as time rolls along.
You have moved from a position of strength into a position of placating - and I think you are lining up on the wrong side of the line - Taliban and Al Qaida are closing in on YOU - your southern border is wide open, your northern border - despite Canuck complaints is not totally secure - and when Pakistan falls - and it will unless things happen soon - the Taliban will join the nuke capable club.
It would be very easy to sail a boat into the harbour in New York. That would bring about devastation beyond comprehension - and there would not be any remorse as you lost millions. Let me see - Boston San Francisco, Spokane, Corpus Christi - all are potential targets. And you waffle about a pirate in the middle of the ocean? This makes you guys look even weaker.
If you had shot him and heaved him overboard the international terror community would have sat up and taken notice - but now he is in New York (?) and going through the process? There is nothing to fear from you folks.
The U.S. of A. needs to present a strong united front to the world - not that of a seriously bickering family that is being torn apart from within.
It is quite amazing to me that we sit out here and see it - it is continually discussed in the countries I work in over here and all are amazed - truly amazed at how fast your international influence and strength is fading.
There does not seem to be anyone within the country - in a position of power - that realizes this - or worse - even seems to care.
Many of you folks sit on your ranches and think only cows - out here in the middle east they are thinking you are ripe for the pickings - and they ARE coming - and it will not stop unless you guys get your act together.
This is not a Bush, Carter or whatever problem - it is a problem that has been coming for years and the entire U.S. of A. has puzzy footed around on this topic - you guys are in trouble and even tonight as I watched a debate in Doha - I realized the problem lies with the fact you are forcefully limiting what you will allow your front line defenders to do - and it appears you may even be willing to place them on trial for doing what probably had to be done at the time to protect YOU and your allies.
Remember - intel is important and if you ask for it nicely you will not get it - sometimes it must be taken - and trust me if you do not take it - there will come a time when you truly regret it.
Time for a reality check folks - best you give one to yourselves - or the bad guys will do it for you. And I bet you will not like it.
Tonight Al Jezeera - the largest Arab news outlet in the middle east stated - "Obama is drunk on his victory and has no understanding of what is happening in his own country"
They are predicting internal strife caused by financial, religious and racial pressure that are not being dealt with - or worse, are being allowed to grow becuse it is more important to give money to corporations.
These are not my words - they are the words of the presenters of a major news media outlet in the middle east.
If your president carries on with this, you guys are going to become a lot weaker and a lot faster than you think.
BC