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28 Sep 2008 10:36 am

McCain And Torture

A reader writes:

I am a trained Army-Interrogator (Human Intelligence Collector, MOS 35M).  When Sen. McCain talked about torture Friday night, that was a really important moment that I don't think is getting enough play so far in the reaction. It's not just because he articulated the rules that we must act by - at least those of us in the Department of Defense (not CIA obviously) - but because he clearly separated himself from the Bush-Cheney axis.

That's extremely important for our community.

For obvious reasons, politics aside, McCain is an icon in our community for what he went through in Vietnam. It's been extremely uncomfortable having him implicitly come down on the side of torture. To have him state explicitly that we cannot torture, I though was a genuine, powerful and extremely important moment.

I agree. I am angry that McCain betrayed the intelligence community and all of us by signing onto CIA torture in 2006. I stuck with him after that because I felt he was essential to the vital struggle to return the US to the community of civilized nations. But with his disgusting, reckless campaign since July, he lost me for good. Nonetheless, the issue of torture is so paramount and so core to the meaning and integrity of America that his stand - even now - against it deserves praise and support.

Notice too how the military and intelligence professionals have been in agony over this president's war crimes. They long for an American worthy of that name to become president again. They deserve better - as do the troops.

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