Torture Commission: A Gift to the Republican Right?

I support a truth commission on torture. There are certainly sound moral and even political reasons to discover the truth about the outrageous abuses of the Bush era. While many people in the country -- including everyone in the White House -- would like the issue to go away, some sort of truth commission, or at least Congressional committee hearings, is probably inevitable. This is the 800-pound gorilla that is unlikely to disappear, especially with the constant drumbeat from the Republican right, and after Speaker Pelosi's less than stellar performance in her press conference this week.

But we should also be aware that the likely beneficiaries of torture hearings will be none other than the Republicans, especially those on the far right. How can that be? After all, it was the neo-cons and their conservative allies who drove the Bush administration policies that led America to a disastrous war in Iraq and lied to the public and Congress about everything from WMD's to torture policies. How could they possibly benefit from a full airing of the truth of their misdeeds?

Simple. Americans by a wide margin already hold the Bush administration and their Republican allies in Congress responsible for the terrible abuses of human rights, the Constitution and national security, not to mention the meltdown of the economy. There is almost nothing that will come out in truth commission hearings that will shock the country about the Bush crowd. If it were suddenly revealed, for example, that Dick Cheney personally gnawed off the leg of a detainee, most people would likely shrug and consider that well within the character of the former Vice President.

However, what will be an eye-opener for Americans is the news that leading Democrats were briefed on the torture policies, however obliquely, and didn't raise a fuss at the time. The fact that they knew about the torture at the time and are now protesting loudly about it, will make them appear not only complicit, but also hypocritical. Never mind the fact that the Democratic leadership had virtually no influence over the Bush administration policies. It has morphed into a case of "what did they know and when did they know it?" And we all understand where that is going. Add to the mix a heavy dose of fuel provided by Speaker Pelosi when she accused the CIA of lying to her and others in Congress about the torture program. Rest assured that the CIA will aggressively push back against that charge. Now the question becomes "who is telling the truth?" And, again, we can predict how that scenario will unfold.

Here is how the Republicans benefit from all this. First, the Republicans have nowhere to go but up. America blames them for everything from the disaster in Iraq to the economic mess. If they manage to dirty the Democrats' previously clean hands on torture, it's a win for them. And if they can force the White House into taking sides in the debate, then it's an even bigger win, since anything President Obama says on the subject will either lose him support from the left or further alienate the right, and possibly even cost him votes in the middle of the political spectrum. While this won't derail his domestic agenda, it could distract him or slow down his efforts moving forward on the economy, health care, education and other pressing issues.

The other big win for the Republicans is that the truth commission shifts the national debate back to national security, and more specifically terrorism. This is a winning issue for the Republicans -- witness the recent presidential election when McCain, champion of national security issues, was inching ahead of Obama in the polls right before the October economic meltdown. A bright focus on terrorism is red meat for the Republicans. And if, more likely when there is another terrorist attack, the Republicans can expect to reap big political gains as they castigate the Democrats and White House for being "hypocritical pansies" in the war against terror.

As critical as a truth commission on torture would be for America in restoring its moral compass, we should also recognize that it will also be a gift to the Republican party, one that will keep on giving for years to come. While it is perhaps axiomatic that truth is more important than political gain, it is a bitter pill to swallow that those most responsible for the terrible abuses of the past decade are those who are most likely to benefit from an investigation into the truth.

Comments

[GladNotLeft]

Let me make sure that I have this right. If you question 3 terrorist to get information to protect American citizens and get water up the terrorist’s nose; it scares him to the point that he thinks he may drown then that is considered torture. But what do you call it when an American newsman is captured, beheaded and shown to the world via the internet that is fine?

It seems to me your priorities is confused. I remember just after 9-11 all my liberal friends wanted revenge. I said then after a year or two they would be right back to not concerned about our safety from terrorist. I don’t want “revenge”, I only want to keep our citizens safe and have the tools to do so. Now, the terrorist will know we will not drown them. They will not fear interrogation; we have no “tricks” to scare them into talking. The odds of us getting information to prevent an attack just went up 1000 to 1. So now, you say WE torture for a little water up their nose. You really don’t get it. I hope you enjoyed being safe under the “Torture” administration.

[mjtaylor22]

dude is so wrong, the Repugnants just asked for investigations into bush error illegal activity, activity that occurred when they had the super majority, dems votes didn't even matter to get stuff passed.
pelosi couldn't be house speaker until after the 2006 elected officials took office in jan 2007.
so the repugnants had total governmental control and policy control. and just asked for exactly what the dems kinda wanted as well, a full investigation.
see no one was gonna touch this unless both parties simultaneously said lets investigate. if the dems brought it up first, on my it s a witch hunt. well guess what
the repugnants said lets investigate and the dems said OK buddy here ya go.
and the repugnants are still trying to say it is politically driven, when we all know an investigation is necessaryto uphold the law of the land

[mjtaylor22]

because of obama i pay alot more attention and I want all of your too as well


(sorry last comment was too long

[mjtaylor22]

No I will not be surprised to find that the democrats were complicit with rnc policies either by choice or by force,
Man this is one of the few times that the Dems have been utter punks under the republican attacks.
Another time they were always appearing spineless, always thought it would be that way.
So not you are wrong, also, I want to see sum jail time for the crimes against our constitution. I want
Justice for the Americans who were tricked and whose lives were destroyed by the deception.
If a dem was in it, so be it.
Part of the reason I voted for Obama was he had not been on the hill long enough to reach the potential level of corruption that any of our other members of congress or the senate could. Not enough time for him to owe too many people I donated to his campaign so he would n have to be indebted to too many people either . I never expected his entire list of campaign promises to be completely fulfilled, especially given the other member so the house and senate that we all knew he would have to contend with, but guess what , he hit the ground running, and I APPRECIATE HIS EFFORTS, AND I APPRECIATE THE EXPOSURE TO TOUR PROCESSES HE HAS BROUGHT LIGHT TOO.
I see more of who is who and who is on the side of the people. Because of Obama I pay a lot more

[armadillo]

You are wrong on so many levels it boggles my mind. The truth is the victim here. Our future as a same meber of the world community is at stake here.

Evena as a liberal I don't give one wit about nancy Pelosi's political future or survival.

Shine some light on this issue and let the culprits be known.

[canobserv]

it doesn't matter.........the air will be sucked out of the room and ANY hope Obama had for making the future brighter will fade........the country and ESPECIALLY the media will talk of this alone for the next 4 years..........The president was smart about this ...............now we ....and the media are ALL talking about ...WHAT did Pelosi know......­..........­...so it begins....­........an­d progress ends

[GraceNeeded]

Beyond culpability, the return of National Security Issues, political backdraft, etc.etc. is the central issue to ALL governments by the masses. CAN WE TRUST OUR GOVERNMENT? What went on with Vietnam, Watergate, Nixon's pardon, etc. lost a whole generation of citizens who lost faith in their government. Those citizens have just become engaged again after 30-40 years of feelings of betrayal, confusion and disappointment. We CANNOT afford to lose another whole generation's faith in the United States Government. Those responsible for disobeying our laws need to be held accountable, no matter who they are. If our government desires to uphold any integrity, they need to say what they mean and mean what they say. Our leaders took an oath to protect and defend our Constitution and our laws. They MUST be held accountable! This cannot be swept under the rug, ignorred, suppressed, subdued, rejected, etc. etc. The light must shine on the truth and confessions made and standards upheld, OR what do we have to offer the world and fledgling nation states? Why should we say the "Pledge of Allegiance" when our leaders don't uphold their allegiance to our laws? As President Obama has stated, "We are a nation of laws." If this is true and I absolutely believe it to be, then NO ONE can be above the law, no matter who they are or we not only lose the war with Al Quaida, we lose the war with our very soul as a nation.

[PuffDragon]

This is a legal matter - not for another whitewash commission, like the 9/11 Commission was.

The 9/11 Commissions primary purpose was to protect Condi Rice, then National Security Advisor.
Note that she did not lose her job as a result of the attacks.

We don't need another one of those protecting Cheney's a**. We need an independant special prosecutor.

Save the committee for impeachment . . . oh, their already out of office? Dang!!!

[BuckarooBanzai]

Sir:

You are assuming that only two findings will come out of a truth commission and they will benefit the Republicans:

1. Who knew what and when did they know it?
2. Was torture effective and how did it relate to National Security? In other words were we kept safe?

But its more than likely that other more significant findings will emerge:

1. That torture wasn't primarily about getting intelligence but about getting high level detainees to confess to a link between Saddam and Al Queada as a justification for war.
2. That the torture program was far more widespread, systematic and heinous than we can even imagine. Remember, there were women at Abu Ghraib and other prisons. We know sexual humiliation was used on the men, was it used on women? There were children at these prisons, what happened to them? Bush, in several speeches joked about certain people not being around any more. Was there a wide spread program of executions? (We do know people were driven around in closed vans in Afghanistan and died)

So we need a commission, but don't assume there will be any benefit except for the opportunity to maybe wash some of the blood from our hands.

[Wendy Johnson]

Iran-Contra was a boon to the perps. It practically made Ollie North, and it didn't stop GHW Bush from getting elected. I think Hillsman's got a point.

[dennis181]

Great column, though sobering in its implications. A real dilemma: is it better for the truth to come out (even one that most Americans already acknowledge) if it ends up helping the GOP leadership?

As always, Hilsman's perspective is unique and provocative. Keep 'em coming!

[floridalib]

Why people keep saying that the democrats are going to get mud on their faces for not running in the streets, screaming, telling everyone about Bush administration toture policies??? Do people really expect the Speaker of the House to disclose classified information to the public?? I dont know the exact punishment, but I know some who would call that treason. The republican party is just trying to take down somebody with it. Pelosi has always had a target on her back, and always will.

[oscartucker]

floridalib, I agree with you! Pelosi and other Democrats could not go out "telling the world" of what they had learned in briefings. Republicans have already decided that they are going after Pelosi and Reed instead of President Obama; this "strategy" came out a few months ago. Republicans will try whatever they can to shake the stigma of Bush/Chene­y/Rumsfeld­/Rice, but the "stink" will not wash off easily. Democrats need to unite, help get this mess uncovered, help their fellow congress persons, and stand up. ***The writer has given the republicans some strategies; they will take these because they don't seem to think much for themselves, no do they think ahead.

[HST]

Two words: special prosecutor .

[Bitsko]

Sorry guys, but I can't get into this micromanaging of American life. Have fun.

[RuthHenriquez]

Hilsman writes, "The other big win for the Republicans is that the truth commission shifts the national debate back to national security, and more specifically terrorism. This is a winning issue for the Republicans -- witness the recent presidential election when McCain, champion of national security issues, was inching ahead of Obama in the polls right before the October economic meltdown."

I'm not buying this argument. The truth commission is not shifting the debate to national security. It is shifting it to our constitution, our ethics, and what sort of people we want to be. If anything, the revelations this week--particularly the testimony in Congress of the FBI interrogator from inside his identity-hiding booth--point to how the Republicans endangered our security more by using these harsh interrogation techniques.

Yes some Democrats may be implicated as "appeasers." Like the Vichy government in France, which sold out to the Nazis, they will bear some measure of scorn, but the real perpetrators have brought ignomy to their party which will take many years to wear off.