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.
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