On June 11, 2015 in a Politico, Human Rights First ran an ad supporting the McCain-Feinstein anti-torture amendment by at least 40 former high ranking US military brass, called "retired Generals and Admirals against torture."
Human Rights First. Politico [Washington, D.C.] 11 June 2015: 5. Print.
This ad appropriately cautions against the use of torture, especially those interrogation methods allowed by the executive branch's lawyers to used at Abu Ghraib, which ended up in 459 pages of CIA misconduct journal called The Senate Intelligence Committee Report on Torture. Please purchase a copy of this book and read it before the next election.
While I am happy that Human Rights First is running this ad and Senators McCain and Feinstein are doing this, it really begs the issue in a larger way. Approving of torture is like approving of leaves falling from a tree in autumn. It is too easy. The world at large accepts the definition of torture that has been used since the founding of the United Nations. From George Washington to these
Generals and Admirals, the military has always been against torture. The reason for these laws is to protect their own fighters. And that is a good reason indeed. However, the issue is that this ad does not ask and demand by law (yes, law) that those who practice torture need to be judged and punished after a just verdict.
Because this ad is from a human rights group, one wonders why the hesitancy about this part of the law. The senators in question will never ask for prosecution of their leaders. So who is left to do that? Really, who is there? Where are the shout, the scream and the outrage against our own torturers? Why not ask for a hearing from the violated? Let their voices be heard. Not in a dinner or some forum with a couple of hundred. No, in front of the senate to show their wounds, their post-traumatic problems, and spell out their disappointment in the US government's allowing these torturers to continue working for them.
The ad should be 'Bring the Torturers to Trial". No new law is needed. Once in the docket for the pain and misery that they inflicted, these torturers should be put into the light of discovery and be judged openly so all Americans can find out what was done in their name and with their tax dollars. A few convictions will go a lot further than this bill, even if it is passed. The Generals in the ad could testify in court on whey they believe torture is not in the interest of the U.S. military brass.
If there are no prosecutions of those who gave permission and used torture in the Cheney period, this bill, passed or not, is toothless and not worthy of any large effort.
Rewrite the ad to include prosecution for those who approved and performed torture, then let us see who still endorses this ad... it would be interesting. Many of these signers probably know those who agreed with the torturers and their advocates. They might even have seen some these violations. If so, then all the more reason to call for prosecution of the violators.
Amos Elon spoke of the loss of hope in his adopted nation of Israel and moved to Italy. I am beginning to think like that once in a while in my own country. Elon stated his point of view in these words "the pity of it all." The truth is we have the laws and the definition of torture and we know who did those dastardly deeds, yet we will never use those laws to bring them to court. The USA and its allies call on other nations to do exactly what I am recommending. In fact, it has happened in dozens of nations. Why not the USA?
The ad is sweet, but bitter to the innocents who suffered in those stinging jails of ours while persecutors remain free.