Former military commanders smack down Bush, Repub candidates for supporting torture

[ProSense]

It's Our Cage, Too

Torture Betrays Us and Breeds New Enemies

By Charles C. Krulak and Joseph P. Hoar
Thursday, May 17, 2007; Page A17

Fear can be a strong motivator. It led Franklin Roosevelt to intern tens of thousands of innocent U.S. citizens during World War II; it led to Joseph McCarthy's witch hunt, which ruined the lives of hundreds of Americans. And it led the United States to adopt a policy at the highest levels that condoned and even authorized torture of prisoners in our custody.

Fear is the justification offered for this policy by former CIA director George Tenet as he promotes his new book. Tenet oversaw the secret CIA interrogation program in which torture techniques euphemistically called "waterboarding," "sensory deprivation," "sleep deprivation" and "stress positions" -- conduct we used to call war crimes -- were used. In defending these abuses, Tenet revealed: "Everybody forgets one central context of what we lived through: the palpable fear that we felt on the basis of the fact that there was so much we did not know."

We have served in combat; we understand the reality of fear and the havoc it can wreak if left unchecked or fostered. Fear breeds panic, and it can lead people and nations to act in ways inconsistent with their character.

The American people are understandably fearful about another attack like the one we sustained on Sept. 11, 2001. But it is the duty of the commander in chief to lead the country away from the grip of fear, not into its grasp. Regrettably, at Tuesday night's presidential debate in South Carolina, several Republican candidates revealed a stunning failure to understand this most basic obligation. Indeed, among the candidates, only John McCain demonstrated that he understands the close connection between our security and our values as a nation.

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[Captain Hilts]

1. Krulak is the son of "Brute" Krulak, a USMC general. Powell should have resigned over THIS. nt

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

3. Charles Krulak was himself a USMC General, in fact, Commandant of the Corps.

[Captain Hilts]

4. Yes, the Post actually pointed that out at the end of the article, but not that Mary Cheney's Dick's

daughter.

The reader should know both.

I think Krulak followed PX Kelley. Perhaps there was one in between.

[BOSSHOG]

2. I have a great deal of respect for Generals Krulak and Hoar

I had the honor of serving on active duty when they were still active. Proud patriots if there ever were any. Trash republicans talking all badass about torture because the ignorant fucking base of the party thinks torture is cool. Conservatives are fucking garbage with no concept of persecution or pain or what our constitution really is. Jesus H. Fucking Christ what a bunch of high maintenance trash we have to contend with.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

5. Agreed, makes me sick. I just emailed this to a former military comrade who's

bought into much of the sick right wing crap. We both served when Krulak was Commandant (not USMC though).

I included the message "Terrible the liberals they let command the USMC, isn't it?"

[BOSSHOG]

6. I look forward to the day

when a highly decorated, battle scarred four star (General or Admiral) comes out of the closet; maybe making the announcement at his retirement ceremony. One with a whole bunch of quotes from conservatives saying how wonderful he is. During my years in the Navy I know of two Captains (O-6) who admitted their gayness after retirement. And a whole passle of junior officers. And all of them proud professionals.

[ProSense]

7. Commandant: Marines must focus on values

Commandant: Marines must focus on values

By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer 20 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps commandant is admonishing his officers to stress a need for ethics on the battlefield after a survey found Marines a bit more likely than soldiers to condone torture to gain information or save a comrade's life.

Gen. James T. Conway told Pentagon reporters Thursday that he wants to examine whether Marines are more prone to not follow military rules of engagement. He is telling his officers to make sure their Marines understand the importance of ethics in the fight.

"I was a little bit disturbed by what I saw because, one, Marines were more likely to do those things than were soldiers," he said. "I want to get after that because, again, those things are things that either incite the population or, conversely, help to win the fight if you do them right."

Ethics on the battlefield has been a persistent and troublesome issue for the military during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. High profile incidents include the killings of 24 civilians at Haditha by Marines, the rape and killing of a young Iraqi woman and the slaying of her family by Army soldiers, and the abuse and sexual humiliation of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison.

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Too bad there is no ethics in the Bush administration.