America Disgraced: There Should Be No Compromise When It Comes To Torture
Disgraceful.
That's the only word that can describe what took place in Congress last week. Both the House and Senate passed a bill that allows U.S. interrogators to torture prisoners. Oh, sorry, not "prisoners," but "suspected terrorists." This could be anybody, of course, now that habeas corpus has also been suspended and everyone's phone and e-mail messages are subject to surveillance without a warrant.
Some New England legislators went along for the torture ride. They are: CT: Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Rep. Nancy Johnson, Rep. Chris Shays, Rep. Rob Simmons; NH: Rep. Charles Bass, Rep. Jeb Bradley, Sen. Gregg Judd, Sen. John Sununu; ME: Sen. Susan Collins, Sen. Olympia Snowe (she did not vote, which is the same as "yes," given the issue's gravity), Rep. Michael Michaud. Do not vote for these people. They are moral and ethical cowards and they are bad for America.
Why? With this bill, U.S. interrogators -- with the pious blessings of the Sadist-in-Chief -- can not only torture prisoners, but they can do so in secret. Thus, we may never know what is meant by "torture." We do know it includes "waterboarding" (dunking prisoners until they've nearly drowned), sleep deprivation and "extreme temperatures." But "torture" could also mean ramming broomsticks up rectums, the rack, thumbscrews, bamboo shoots under fingernails or ripping them off with pliers (see Syriana), forcing prisoners to eat feces, drink urine. How would we know?
It could also mean -- in fact, this carte blanche on torture simply leads to -- wanton sadism by the prison staff. That is, any time guards get it in their head to kick you in the nuts, bang, they do it. You look at them wrong you get the business end of a night stick or electrodes attached to your earlobes. They starve you, spit on you, place soiled underwear or black hoods over your head, sic dogs on you, and they face no consequences, unless they're stupid enough to show off their snapshots.
Whatever this "torture" connotes, it violates the Geneva Conventions. Thus, the U.S. is now no better than Japan in World War II. Indeed, if Japan is the Rising Sun, the U.S. is now the Setting Sun.
My grandfather, Col. Lloyd E. Mielenz, U.S. Army, was taken prisoner at Corregidor in the Philippines in May 1942. He was not liberated until two weeks after Japan surrendered, in late Aug. 1945. During that time, he had been at dreaded camps like Cabanatuan, Bilibid and Mukden, and was taken by "hell ship" to Japan. At each stop, conditions were appalling and treatment brutal. It was not until Nov. 1944, he wrote, "that we were accorded treatment close to the requirements of the Geneva Conventions." He was beaten, tortured, refused food, medicine and even basic comforts. He was blinded in one eye and his health was ruined, leading to his too early death. Worse, he had to watch as friends and comrades died; there was nothing he could do about it but witness. I have the ledgers he secretly kept while in captivity, neat and careful records of the whereabouts, condition and, more often, death dates of hundreds of men. Upon liberation, he gave the records to the War Department, which used them to corroborate information for the next of kin and as evidence in war crimes trials held throughout Asia in 1946-47.
Get over yourself, flag wavers. Because you tolerate this, you are doing unto others what the Japanese did to my grandfather. This "torture bill" was no compromise. There is no compromise when it comes to torture or habeas corpus, not in a civilized country. Torture is being done in your name, on your dime, and in your time. And it was approved by your elected leaders.