True. However, it is our most valuable creation, one that sets us apart from mere beasts. At the first sign of threat, we really should not abandon it, I feel.
I'd say that the WTC attack was a bit more than the first sign of a threat. Trillions of dollars in economic damage have resulted, along with the loss of thousands of lives in a gruesome manner.
Are you saying that me poking the eyes out of an aggressor in a dark alley (after a kick in his family jewels, of course) is "losing my moral ground" in a way similar to physically torturing numerous persons, some of which might very well be innocent of any crime?
Technically, under US law, an assailant is innocent until proven guilty. Thus, yes, you would not technically be kicking a "guily" person Victims have few rights, except the right to prayer for justice.
So far as I'm concerned we have an enemy who is not American, and can't be expected to live by American values or moral thresholds. Thus, our thresholds can be selectively "detuned" to accomodate the value systems of those we are interrogating..
But again, I don't believe there is much physical torture going on in US interrorgations. I may be wrong, but my experience tells me no..
But as for the Jordanians, Egyptians and others, I can't really say... Nor do I really care... After all, it's THEIR countries and we really have no right to tell them how to conduct their interrorgations..
And they are on the front line of Islamic militantcy and years of experience in dealing with it.. They know what "pushes the buttons" of the militants in ways we Americans have yet to learn.
Hawk |
