07
Dec
When Wingnuts Write
Bryan P. over at Michelle’s digs has found the real culprit in the destruction of the CIA Interrogation tapes- John McCain. I’ll let Bryan explain:
This is what we get when we have leaders who abdicate leadership and don’t protect their subordinates for the consequences of the choices that the leaders make. This, essentially, is the result of Sen. John McCain’s announced policy of keeping interrogation techniques like waterboarding illegal, but knowing full well that it will be used in extreme circumstances, and that when it is used the agents who used it will find themselves in legal jeopardy no matter what the outcome of the interrogation was. It’s the politics of passing the buck.
Because he refused to legalize torture, John McCain forced these guys to break the law. Bryan’s take is as entertaining as Michelle’s.
NickM
You have to admit he has a point. Why does Congress pass laws that it knows Bush is only going to break? Must be BDS.
I love the way Bryan comes up with the most convoluted Twinkie defense I’ve ever read and then blames his opponents of “the politics of passing the buck.” It’s like watching black belt contortionist jujitsu.
Pb
I know one “missing tape” that I’d like to see found:
He was then brutally attacked by two guards who continually smashed his forehead into the steel floor until he received severe brain damage.
Not that the wingnutosphere actually ever cares about supporting the troops in these situations, mind you…
Kynn
You think that’s crazy, you should see what other nutty stuff Malkin supports.
RSA
It’s a Jack Bauer world out there. Where are the superiors of those “agents” who torture prisoners during “enhanced interrogation”? I guess torture just happens.
Zifnab
No no no. That’s just more passing the buck. If the superiors hadn’t taped these interrogation sessions to begin with, we wouldn’t have to destroy all these taps.
This malfeasances runs from top to bottom. The whole system is broken. Loose lips sink ships people. The real travesty is the fact that our enhanced interrogation techniques ever became public in the first place. So, one could argue that the real destroyers of the tapes were the Drive By Liberal Media.
skyler
Oh my god. Joe Klein’s post on this has to be read to be believed.
Everyone knows he’s an idiot, but this is just amazing.
RSA
Too bad we’ll never see a plaque on Bush’s desk reading, “The waterboard stops here.”
Jake
Shorter Assclown: We should repeal all laws that someone might break.
Conservatively Liberal
From what I read, after the Abu Ghraib stuff, the CIA ordered the destruction of the tapes because they were afraid that they would somehow be released. Not only did they destroy the tapes, they also destroyed some stills too.
I guess Dumbya’s photo album of his white house days are going to be short a few pics.
MNPundit
Is that really McCain’s position? Because that’s very close to my position. My position would be anti-torture but in cases where it DOES happen the outcome (legal jeopardy) would be the same as McCain’s as described here.
Splitting Image
“Is that really McCain’s position? Because that’s very close to my position. My position would be anti-torture but in cases where it DOES happen the outcome (legal jeopardy) would be the same as McCain’s as described here.”
Mine as well. Bryan is using the Barry Bonds Defense to undercut McCain. According to Bryan, steroids are a fact of life, so either you legalize them or you hypocritically ban them – knowing full well that some of your players will use them – and unfairly expose those players to legal jeopardy when you get caught.
The notion that anyone might actually want to STOP players from using steroids, and are dead serious about prosecuting players who do, is something Bryan doesn’t understand. By the same logic, it doesn’t occur to him that anybody could possibly want to stop the government from torturing people, so he argues that anybody who is opposed to torture secretly supports it and is letting someone else take the blame.
Splitting Image
Sorry. In my above post, it should read “...when they get caught”.
Jake
Which is 70% of the reason for all criminal laws. It would be nice if the would-be criminal didn’t break the law because he didn’t want to face the punishment, but if he does his actions come with this thing called consequences. A concept the average fRighty does not understand.
But I’m getting confused. I thought the latest talking point maintained the CIA is a bunch of Iran-loving goons who are trying to make the prezident look bad and hand America over to the Islamohordes. Shouldn’t the Neo’s be applauding McCain and demanding a full investigation into the kitchen counters and property values of every member of the CIA?
merciless
My first reaction is, “wuh?” My second is, so it’s McCain’s fault for not seeing the wonderful benefits of torture? I mean, after all, he’s been the beneficiary of such harmless frat pranks himself, so he should know…or something.
My third is that it’s getting late on Friday, and I need a drink. Who’s with me?
Psycheout
Bryan really is reaching here, but it’s not easy to write incisive commentary every day. We all have our off days. Just ask Michael D.
Just let McCain fade to black in style. Stop dogpiling on him.
Mark S.
Bryan P’s definition of leadership: Protecting your subordinates when they disobey your orders.
Mark S.
Let’s do one more, in response to the link Skyler provided:
Joe Klein’s definition of “coming clean”: Destroying evidence of wrongdoing and then grudgingly admitting to it after being caught.
Bruce Moomaw
Looks like I underestimated John’s alertness again—he saw Bryan P.’s defense of torture before I did and advised him to read it.
It’s quite clear, though, that America is (yet again) going to go skidding down the Slippery Slope and then bewail its mistake 30 or 40 years later (when it’s safely too late to actually prosecute anyone for it). Business as usual.
TenguPhule
On the bright side, most of them will probably be killed under the same policies they created.
Karma, bitches!
BIRDZILLA
Looks like the liberals are upset that the demacratic CONgress isnt giving them what they were looking for