Re: More Leftist Drivel
Methods of pressure and coercion that do not result in physical injury are not torture IMO. So this is a definition thing, and there was a recent thread on this. I don't define torture as anything that might cause a subject psychological harm and induce him to talk. And incidences of physical torture carried out by US military/intelligence on their own initiative is not the same as there being a policy authorizing such methods.
And regarding the FISA, the president should lie rather than publicly disclose our intelligence methods, noting as I said above that a refusal to comment can impart more information than a denial. This then is appropriately protecting classified matters, and is an issue separate from the legality of those methods which has been debated here as well in other threads.
If some reporter were to ask the president tomorrow, is the CIA roaming freely in Pakistan in acting against terrorists, a refusal to comment would be taken as an affirmative that could have political consequences for a friendly government. Thus the appropriate response is to say no, and if proven to have lied, then ask, what did you expect.
Government officials do not owe it to the general public to give a level of truthful information regarding classified matters that could be of assitance to our enemies. And a refusal to see this point is merely because one is against our involvement in certain areas, which is a separate issue.
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