I was appalled when I read the Dec. 12 commentaries by M.D. Harmon (“Terror-interrogation report can’t hide its liberal biases”) and Charles Krauthammer (“Democrats display hypocrisy by slamming CIA’s post-9/11 tactics”).
Both commentators devoted their columns to lambasting the Democrats who produced this report. In addition, Mr. Krauthammer implied that we had been kept safe by the enhanced interrogation techniques (i.e., torture) conducted by contractors under CIA supervision.
The evidence for the success of these methods is dubious at best. The larger question that should be put before our citizens is simply: Do we want our country to be identified as one that tortures its prisoners?
If we rely on these methods as a means to enhancing our safety, should we not consider the potential downsides to this approach?
The torture of prisoners in our custody may well be a very effective recruiting tool for the jihadists. How can we try to present ourselves as a country supporting individual rights if we allow these atrocities to occur?
Basically, this should not be treated as a partisan issue – it should be debated by the American people.
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