The CIA, Torture, and the United States

Michael Hayden, former CIA head and Chief Torturer -Unindicted War Criminal - the smug smiling face of evil

I struggled with posting about yesterday's revelation about government approved torture.  But I just have to say something about our country's departure from our basic moral values.  See here for the CIA torture report.

I grew up believing that our country was different.  We were the "good guys."  We didn't torture prisoners.  Our government didn't lie to us.  We didn't imprison prisoners without bringing charges.  All the above I now know is wrong.  

So now we have joined the ranks of Inquisition era Spain, Nazi Germany, and Japanese torture of prisoners of war during World War II.  If you doubt what I say read about it here. 

Image from Abu Ghraib "enhanced interrogation"

I'll be frank with you folks, it sickens me to write about this subject.  

For several years now I knew and have often said our country was led by war criminals.  This isn't my judgement but actual reality. Former president George W. Bush, former Vice President Dick Cheney, former CIA director Michael Hayden, and others like David Addington and Douglas Feith.  They called these methods "enhanced interrogation." Torture is what was done.  Torture, not the Bush administration's euphemism for torture which they called "enhanced interrogation."  

This is all I'm going to say about this subject now.  Again, it sickens me to my stomach.  We're not that pure folks.  I thought we were better than just another country that tortures prisoners.  And the irony is that torture doesn't produce actionable information.  The irony is that by torturing our prisoners our country is now less safe.  All we've succeeded in doing was making more enemies.  The pure stupidity of those torturing.  Torturing is the lazy way to try and find information and it never works.  NEVER.  If you tortured me I would tell you anything you wanted, even make up stories. Anything. 

I don't know how those involved can sleep at night.  Is that the way we would want our prisoners treated?  

Evil, pure evil.  They walk among us.

Former president Bush and vice president Cheney - war criminals

Douglas Feith - war criminal

David Addington - war criminal

John Yoo - the Justice Department official who created the "legality" of "enhanced interrogation" (torture) to give the war criminals cover

They smile even though they know what they did.  Destroyed America's moral values for nothing.  We're not the sanitized MGM, Norman Rockwell propagandized version of America we've all been spoon fed all our lives. So you can go to all your Christian churches and hear all about your good Christian values but this our some of our fellow Americans view and value other human lives and dignity.  We're no better than they are and we're just fooling ourselves if we continue to believe otherwise.

Just one more note, any one reading this that disagrees with my assessment and truly believe that we "do anything" to protect our country, how would you feel if one of  your children was in the service and captured by the enemy and treated this way.  You all right with that?  

OUCH!

OUCH!  That hurt!

About a hour ago I returned from my 8:15 am visit to my dermatologist.  Last January 24th, he had taken a biopsy of a discolored patch of skin from my right knee.  From that time until today, that wound has never properly healed.  There were times when my pants would rub against the scab and a pain would shoot through my leg like a thorn in the wound.

Last week I made an appointment to see him to take a look at this slow healing wound.  The day before I cancelled it, thinking it had gotten better it hadn't.

On Tuesday this week I made another appointment for this morning.  I arrived bright and early at his office with my wound, still inflamed.  His assistant took a look at it and began poking at the wound.  OUCH!  WOW!  Know how it feels when the dentist drills for a cavity and hits a nerve?  That's the way it felt when she was poking around that inflamed wound.  Hey, I think I can tolerate pain as good or better than most but this morning I was a major pussy.  I  yelled out loud "OH GOD!"  Yes I did.  I really did.  

Two other assistants came into the room.  More poking around and more screaming (yes, SCREAMING) by me.  One of the assistants thought that part of the "dissolvable" stitch was still in the wound.  SOMETHING was in there.  Know how it feels when you have a thorn in your toe or finger?  SOMETHING WAS THERE and it hurt like HELL when they poked.  

The doctor came in.  He took a look with his instrument.  Wouldn't you know he tried to pull something out.  This time I almost kicked him (involuntarily) and yelled "OH GOD!" again.  What is it with me with the "Oh God" exclamation?  I'm not even religious?  Well, anyway, I asked him "Don't you have a pain killer?"  Be careful what you wish (ask) for.  He motions to one of the assistants.  She brings in a MAJOR needle and hands it to him. He said "This is going to pick a little bit."  Uh huh.  I thought the poking around hurt, well ladies and gentlemen, I experienced a new kind of pain.  OUCH!  WOW!  

Folks, this year (and last year) I've been through whole new levels of pain.  From the biopsy and volume check for my prostate cancer to that LONG Labor Day Weekend when my urologist decided to let my stuck kidney stone in me for four days hoping it would pass on it's own.  Yes folks, that was pain but today was a whole new level.  I'm telling you, the medical establishment really should get in touch with those war criminals former vice president Cheney and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld

"The known unknowns, we don't know anything"

and immediately let them know that we have doctors down here in Lower Slower that could put any of your professional torturers to shame.  

War criminal and former vice president Dick Cheney - still on the loose

My good doctor did some digging around on the now numbed area of my knee and removed the offending stitch that had infected my knee these past three months.  

I left his office with a copy of my medical report to meet Bill (who drove me) down in the lobby.  My knee wasn't hurting now because it was numbed up but I knew it would be hurting as soon as the pain killer wore off and as it is now sore.  But I don't have the shooting pain that was happening before when my pain let would rub the wrong way.  

Bill stopped at Loew's on the way home but I couldn't even get out of the car.  Not only because it is windy and cold this April morning (will this winter ever end?) but because I was feeling woozy (don't go there).  

As soon as I got home I took this picture of my sore knee and an aspirin and hit my bed for about an hour of gathering myself together (and feeling sorry for myself - I do love me a Pity Party).  

After about an hour of slumber I just got up and now I'm ready to take on the rest of the day and get myself prepared for a weekend of work at the hotel.  I'm filling in for a co-worker who is taking off a few days.  

And the beat goes on.  

Hot Sunday

Just as I had feared, the cold winds and rain of our long delayed spring has morphed right into the August like heat and humidity. I sit at my computer now, drenched in sweat lightheaded from my short excursion a bit of yard work this afternoon. I cannot work outside in this heat and humidity. Perhaps the temperature will be more hospitable early this evening.

This morning I made another attempt to find the Odd Fellows' Cemetery in Milford to full fill a Find a Grave.com photo request. This is the first cemetery I have visited that is not identified by a sign or some kind of marker. Bill and I asked several people who live in the area and they didn't know the name of the cemetery either. The cemetery is located at the intersection of several busy roads and next to a low income housing project. This is another "first." No quiet, tranquil country setting searching for peaceful souls in repose this hot Sunday morning.

I pulled into the unmarked cemetery and parked my car. Bill got out the umbrella to shade himself from the early morning oppressive heat. He went in one direction and I went in another direction, looking for the graves of John Marlarkey, Sr. and Jr. and Grace Patterson. It soon became evident to me that I was on a Fool's Mission. All of a sudden memories of looking for house numbers while address canvassing for my short lived Census job started to overwhelm me. Only this time I wouldn't be bothering live people watering their lawns or building handrails on their back decks.
This cemetery must have at least 10,000 graves, if that. Thousands and thousands of headstones. I made a quick run through (about an hours) eyeballing as many headstones as I could, think maybe I would get lucky. It didn't happen.

While I was in the cemetery I received a phone call from a friend of mine that I was supposed to meet for dinner tonight in Rehoboth Beach. The past year or so, a few of us have started an informal tradition of meeting for a burger at the Purple Parrot. I decided not to attend tonight's dinner and had sent him an e-mail informing him of the same. He wanted to know if everything was "alright" with me. Well, it's as "alright" as I can every be with the mounting frustrations I've had over the past few weeks. Some friends who I am interested in breaking bread with would not be attending dinner tonight. The one person who would be attending dominates the conversation and has little if no interest in anything I have to contribute to the conversation. As I stated in a previous blog, I have decided to move away from these relationships, be they down here in Delaware or my former home in Pennsylvania. I am tired of constantly defending myself for being myself. I am so tired of the constant criticism and unsolicited advice on how I should live my life. I am tired of it all.

Bill and I left the cemetery. I told him I would call the company who runs the cemetery and ask where these people are buried. I like trolling through cemeteries but not in the heat and humidity looking through literally thousands of graves. Those folks aren't' going anywhere. I'll be back.

We stopped at the Super Wal-Mart in Milford. The summertime crowd was there. Lot of heft folk pushing grocery carts. I went in and got my corn chex and romaine hearts of lettuce. I can buy these items for about half the price that is charged in any of the supermarkets in Rehoboth, Lewes and Milton. The trip to Wal-Mart is always cost effective.

After we returned home and were unloading our groceries, our neighbor stopped over to return a container that I have given him earlier full of home made chocolate cake. He and his wife are leaving this afternoon for Las Vegas. They will be gone a week. Tomorrow is his birthday. We wished him a happy birthday and a safe trip. Bill and I are very lucky to have them for neighbors. They're respectful and not demanding. I think they had second thoughts when they moved in here two weeks after we moved in and discovered they had two gay guys for neighbors. However, one they discovered that we mow our grass just like they mow their grass and we shop at the store just like they do, all is well. My neighbor's wife does have a tendency to tell me what plants to plant and is critical of some of my plantings but she has gotten better with her unsolicited advice. She means well and I think she realizes that I'm not her gardener but have my own property and may have different tastes than she does. Some people can't help themselves. That's always been a wonder to me why some people feel compelled to give me direction. Maybe it's me. It's not a habit of mine to give direction to other people unless they're working for me. Why other people feel compelled to try and run my life, I have never understood.

I'm off this week. I may have to go into work Wednesday for a few hours to fill in for the manager while he's at a food trade show. I'm sure this week's news will again be dominated by the torture question. It's all so depressing especially since nothing will be done about it. Thank God President Obama stopped government sanctioned torture.

By the way, just a short note to reiterate what I've said before about my blog. This is a personal blog. This is my blog. I write what I think. I'm not trying to pass a test of seek approval of anyone reading my blog. If a reader thinks I talk too much about myself or exhibit other characteristics the he or she finds objectionable then I would suggest they don't read my blog. It is not for them. I don't need the "drive by shooting comments." I know there are those "Anonymous" readers out there in the Internet community who take it upon themselves to criticize and pass judgement on those of whom they don't approve. To those people I say, I'm not an elected official. I'm not a paid columnist. I don't owe you anything. If you don't like my blog, then move on. I am tired. I no longer have the patience to be diplomatic with this type of person who has nothing positive to offer other than caustic and dismissive comments.

I am tired of people telling me what to do. Leave your comments if you must. I'll probably read them but they won't be published. Negative and toxic comments only prove one thing to me, that there are people who have nothing positive to offer the world. I would rather deal with people who are positive and life affirming. I have made friends with some readers of my blog who are like this and I appreciate them. They enrich my life and, hopefully, I can contribute something to their life my sharing my life's experiences as a retired 67 year old gay man in southern Delaware.

I enjoy writing my blog. It is a form of therapy to me. I'm not the type to pay someone to listen to me. That doesn't work for me. I've always preferred writing. From my early teenage days with over sixty pen pals, to writing letters to the editor, to keeping hand written personal journals. I can't exactly explain the lure for me of writing a personal journal such as this blog in the Internet where I don't know who will ready it. Perhaps I'm thinking there is someone else Out There like me who is experiencing the same life rhythms that I am experiencing. Maybe I can learn something from them. Maybe they can learn something from me. I am but one small grain of sand on the ocean front of this planet. I may be insignificant but I am of importance to a few people in this world. It is those people with whom I will continue to share my life. To the others, who criticize and try to control me, who wish me ill, who are jealous of me; I will move out of their orbit. It is my life and I am moving on.

The United State of America Tortures People

This morning I awoke at 4 a.m. I was wide awake. Something was on my mind. Normally I have no problem sleeping. When I go to sleep at night, I’m unconscious until about 6:30 or 7 in the morning. This morning was different. As I lay awake, I reviewed in my mind what was bothering me. Then it came into focus. Our country tortures prisoners. The United State of America tortures people. Never mind that torture has never proven to elicit useful information, our country tortures people. Yes, the United State of America, the self appointed “moral authority” in the world who lectures others countries on human rights abuses, tortures people.

Credit must be given to the Obama administration for releasing the “torture” memos. These twisted logic legal memos that attempted to legalize torture and thus provide cover for the Bush Administration. Last week an additional 2,000 plus photos were released of prisoners in Iraq being tortured and humiliated. What in the world did the Bush/Cheney and Company hope to accomplish by these criminal acts? Didn’t our country sign the Geneva Conventions against cruel and unusual punishment of prisoners or war? The Bush Administration claims that the “terrorists” are different than “normal” prisoners of war because they didn’t wear uniforms. Excuse me? What am I missing here?

The simple fact remains that Bush Administration officials instigated and condoned torture of prisoners. They broke the law. They water boarded prisoners. Cheney admits it. He’s proud of it. Our country executed Japanese soldiers at the end of World War II who water boarded our prisoners of war. How are we any different? Is it because the Bush administration had a legal memo “authorizing” torture and a doctor in attendance?

Barack Obama has a dilemma. He states that he “wants to look forward” and not “backwards.” How convenient. Maybe that’s what the Nazi war criminals should have used as their defense during the Nuremberg War Crimes trials. Maybe that is the defense that Pol Pot should have used when he was caught. No, it doesn’t wash.

Patrick Buchanan, one of the few well known conservatives who will actually listen to other arguments and isn’t brain dead, states that an investigation and trial “would tear this country apart.” He may be right. But the question remains, are we a country of laws or are we not? That is the question. All the conservatives can do is to attempt to drag Nancy Pelosi into the mix by saying she was informed of the torture.

I don’t know the answer. My heart says that we should be a country of laws and not give anyone a pass, even if they are at the highest levels of government. But reality is much different. There is a hard core conservative base in this country which is blind to the abuses, incompetence, and gross negligence of the past eight years of the Bush/Cheney regime. People of this mind set will never change. Most of them think that this country is God anointed for only straight, white people and the rest of us are only “tolerated.” When a complete idiot like the Miss California in the recent Miss USA contest states (response to legalization of same sex marriage) “…..in MY country and the family I was raised in……”, that tells you a lot about the mind set of these people. It is THEIR country and they don’t have room in their tent for anyone who differs from their views. The rest of us are outsiders. Don’t kid yourself this is the way THESE people think.

I didn’t want to post a negative blog on this beautiful, warm spring day but this idea that our country condones torture bothers me a great deal. Hopefully, as time goes by, I will become desensitized to it as much of our country is desensitized to violence in movies. But for now, I feel shock, shame and humiliation. But then I have always been accused of being naïve.

Here is one thing that really bothers me though, these people who initiated the policy of torture. These people who wrote the memos to make torture legal. And these people who carried out the torture. My question is this, how do they sleep at night?

Torture and Miss California

When I started this blog, my intention was not to have a political blog. There are more than enough blogs on the Internet expounding the whole spectrum of political views. What difference would mine make other than to add to the cacophony of angry voices?
However, recently several hot subjects on the political landscape have made it almost impossible for me not to add my voice to the range of opinions being expressed in the public forum.

One subject is same sex marriage. I will address that subject in a future blog. The other subject is torture. Ironically, the recent news has connected these two subjects. Last week, Miss California answered a question about same sex marriage this way:

At the Las Vegas pageant, Prejean, 21, was asked by judge Perez Hilton how she felt about legalizing gay marriage. "In my country, and in my family, I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman,"

Note the phraseology that Miss California uses: “in my county, and in my family” In the country I grew up in I was taught that we did not torture……………..anyone. It didn’t matter how reprehensible the subject of the torture was, WE DID NOT TORTURE. Our country was better than that.

This is an interesting country that we live in now. Many on the Right regularly warn about the end of civilization as we know it if same sex marriages are permitted. Yet, many of these same people see no problem with torturing prisoners. These are the same people who proclaim themselves “good Christians.” They go to church expounding on their “family values.” Hypocrisy is no stranger to their church pews.

Put aside the fact that torture doesn’t work. There is no valid proof that torture has ever provided accurate information. If someone tortured me, I would tell them anything they wanted to know just to get them to stop. It has been proven over and over again information can be obtained by much more subtle means than brute physical torture.

The Bush Administration went to great pains to rewrite the legal laws to provide cover for their torture polices. When the atrocities were first revealed at Abu Ghraib, I literally could not believe it. This was our country? We permitted this to happen? Then when the administration blamed it on a “few bad apples”, I knew they were lying. I was in the Army. Part of my training was not to torture or abuse prisoners. Why in the world would a “few bad apples” take it upon themselves to stack naked prisoners in a pile on the floor? Sic dogs on them? Smear them with feces? No, these were orders from on high.

Now the torture memos have come out. There is a great deal of scrambling for cover. The Republicans are saying the Democratic leaders of the house were informed of the “methods” used for “enhanced interrogation.” As if this justifies the torture. It doesn’t.

Obama is in a bad situation. He has stated that he wants to “look forward” and “not backward.” But, the simple fact is that laws were broken. It appears that the laws in this country against torture were broken from the very highest levels of the government. The highest levels of government means President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Secretary Rumsfeld, Under Secretary Wolfowitz, and Douglas Fieth along with others yet to be named.

I remember reading a book about the Nuremberg War Crimes trials in which the Allied judges refused to accept the “just following orders” defense before passing sentences on the German war criminals. I thought at the time, what would our country do if the situation were reversed? It seems to me, as bad as the Nazi’s were, somewhat unfair to hang the lowly soldiers for just obeying orders. What were they going to do, have a mass revolt? But now it appears that the “just following orders” defense will protect those who carried out the torture of terrorist suspects. What remains to be seen is how our country will deal with those at the top of our government who callously disregarded over two hundred years of American values and ordered torture that accomplished nothing but to put our country in further danger and almost destroy our moral reputation among the community of nations in the world.

Just as Miss California said “In my country and my family, the way I was raised…..”; I will also say “In my country and my family, the way I was raised you didn’t torture.” It is as simple as that. Our country does not torture. George W. Bush made that statement when asked at a photo op some years ago. He angrily replied “The United States does not torture!” Of course we all know he was lying now. Only one of the many lies the Bush Administration told this country.

I’m not sure what should happen now to those who ordered the torture and those who carried it out in the Bush Administration. A great deal of damage has already been done and some will perhaps never be undone. It will take a long time, if ever, until our country regains our reputation as the moral force in the world. One thing I am very thankful for though is that these practices have stopped. I am thankful that all this information is being made public. While it has been proven time and time again that most of the members of the Bush Administration have no shame (a common flaw all the religious self righteous have), the rest of us can show the world that we care and this is not the way our country operates.

Barack Obama was elected by the majority of the American voters. The majority of the American voters have rejected the politics of division that the Republicans so successfully ran over the past decade by using the fear of gay marriage to get their conservative religious base out to vote. So Miss California, same sex marriage is coming whether you like it or not. Torture is out. That is what is happening in “my country and my family” this time. We do not torture.