GOP's positions on torture are political, not tactical. THEY TORTURED FOR POLITICAL POSTURING.

[lxlxlxl]

We need to call out 'wrapping yourself in the flag' as often as we can.

The GOP hides behind the flag constantly, and this phony and cheap political ploy needs to be called out for what it is.

Torture was a political choice. It has nothing to do with national security, or a war on terror. 9/11 was an anomaly, and criminal conspiracies like Al Qaeda are things serious national security people understand have to be contained, not always destroyed.

Torturing had zero security value. It's only value was viciousness, and using that viciousness to divide the American' people's response, and thus their political affiliation. The language describing the behavior might seem cold, but its reality is much more VICIOUS and INHUMANE - WE TORTURED SO THE GOP COULD WIN ELECTIONS AND KEEP TAXES LOW.

[tridim]

1. I think they tortured because they got off on it

At least Rummy and The Dick did.

[Mist]

2. I think you're both right--but I think there's a third element also:

Bush/Cheney Corp. was saying to the world, and of course to American citizens: "Watch out--we WILL go this far."

[lxlxlxl]

6. A list...

What is the function of state terrorism/torture?

1) Internal and External Pacification
2) Internal Political Gamesmanship
3) 'Getting off' / Fantasies of Revenge

Can we really rate which are worse than the others? Are Bush/Cheney's torture team religiously corrupt/inhuman? I dont think we should approach it from that angle.

There is a huge gulf in between the idea that torture is righteously justified, and the reality that it is merely a cheap political tool. That is the essence of what bugs me. Is that they can run their mouths off on the cable news shows about 'defending the country' blah blah blah, when all they really wanted was a way to create political value for themselves. Utterly Immoral Means for a cheap, disposible, personal end.

Sorry to rant...

[Echo In Light]

5. "They" tortured to shake up the hornets nest to bolster their phony "war"

The PNAC blueprint required chaos/conflict in order to justify implementation.

[PM Martin]

3. Speaking of "wrapping" the flag around ones self:

http://www.moderateindependent.com/v1i3awards.htm

[librechik]

4. they needed false confessions to convince the American People to go along with it

Just like the Communist Chinese, where we got the techniques, and who now hold us in financial slavery. And they had to win elections to forestall any justice for what they must have known was criminal behavior.