Coyne v Wells, cruel and unusual version
In which I attempt to play devil’s advocate on the question of whether to prosecute individuals accused of torture under the Bush administration, and get slapped around fairly effortlessly by friend Wells.
UPDATE: This Washington Post editorial, though rather better expressed, comes closest to my own position. This Montreal Gazette editorial is firmer against prosecution.
UPPERDATE: Some other noteable recent contributions to the debate:
The Bush administration ignored warnings about its detainee policies
Trying to Make Sense of the Torture Memos | Newsweek
Even If It Works, US Shouldn’t Torture
Torture works sometimes -- but it’s always wrong | Salon
Matthew Yglesias » Torture Still Doesn’t Work
Damon Linker (The New Republic) - Thinking About Torture
Jeff Jacoby - A tortured debate over the ’torture memos’
Marc A. Thiessen - Enhanced Interrogations Worked
Stuart Taylor Jr. - National Journal - Did Torture Save Lives?
The OLC "Torture Memos": Thoughts from a dissenter By Philip Zelikow
Ali Soufan - My Tortured Decision - NYTimes
Who’s Politicizing Intelligence Now?
Porter J. Goss - Security Before Politics
Former CIA Director Michael Hayden on Obama Releasing the Interrogation Memos
Obama muddles torture message - Politico.com
Obama’s Growing Dilemma on Torture Prosecution
’Truth Commission’ hurdles remain - Josh Gerstein - POLITICO.com
Con Coughlin - Obama must beware of playing party politics with security
Lanny Davis - The Torture Memos: Obama, Holder Strike The Right Balance
Chris Smith: Why Obama’s Right on Torture -- Daily Intel -- New York
Democratic complicity and what "politicizing justice" really means - Glenn Greenwald - Salon.com
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