Graham defends torture: "interrogation techniques have survived fore 500 years is because they work"

[sabra]

http://washingtonindependent.com/42810/soufan-vs-lindsay-graham

Soufan vs. Lindsey Graham

“Do you know a guy named… K-I-R-I-A-K-O-U,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) asks Ali Soufan, referring to a former CIA official who alleged that — at an interrogation he never portrayed himself as attending — Abu Zubaydah broke after his initial waterboarding.

“Last week he retracted that,” Ali Soufan responded.

Graham: “Can you say there was no good information” resulting from torture?

Emphasizing he’s speaking from his first-person experience, “I would like you to evaluate what we got before” torturing Abu Zubaydah, Soufan replies. Graham: “One of the reason these interrogation techniques have survived fore 500 years is because they work.”

Soufan: “There are a lot of people who find it easier and aren’t smart enough” to interrogate someone without torture. Graham finishes by saying Soufan isn’t the “only repository” of information on interrogation.

“I have nothing but the highest regard for this gentleman,” Graham alleges.

[John Q. Citizen]

1. Sounds like he said Graham isn't smart enough, which is probably true.

[Warpy]

2. No, Graham, the only reason they survived for 500 years

(and I'd peg it at thousands) is because the human race continues to produce a large number of sadists, bullies, and freaks who enjoy doing it, even by proxy.

The only reason it's survived is men like you.

[dgibby]

8. Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!

As a JAG officer, Graham is up to his ass in alligators. He has a real vested interest in stopping any prosecutions because he'd be on e of the first to be frog-marched to the Hague.

[Arkansas Granny]

10. Exactly. There are those who use torture to act out their sadistic fantasies.

[ljm2002]

12. Beat me to it! n/t

[Doc_Technical]

14. This discussion of torture reminds me of this scene

Starts around 1:25 into this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWmBxWN9jM0&feature=related

[bushmeister0]

3. What a pig-faced Satan that guy is.

[Eric J in MN]

4. Torture is effective at getting people to talk, but not necessarily to tell the truth.

It's effective at getting false confessions.

[NOW tense]

5. There are people that swing cats by their tail too.

That is probably something that has survived 500 years too. It doesn't make it right.

[Toucano]

6. Yes, America is now the Spanish Inquisition.

Pol Pot
Josef Stalin
Pinochet

Good company you keep, Lindsey.

[NNN0LHI]

7. Yea it sure worked good on them Salem witches

[bdamomma]

9. oh, I hope some European leaders or lawyers are listening.

hey Spain did you hear that?

[w4rma]

11. Sen. Lindsey Graham is a neo-Nazi. (nt)

[HelenWheels]

13. Graham is one sick SOB

If he broke after his initial waterboarding why did they continue to waterboard him repeatedly? Me thinks they were enjoying it. Talk about sadists!

[Vidar]

15. How else would we know that witches could fly & mated with Satan?

[Canuckistanian]

16. And let's bring back bloodletting and cutting holes in people's heads

If we're going back to the 12th century, let's go all the way.

[EC]

17. No, they have survived because

every generation has their sadists...

[Taverner]

18. Aw widdle Lindsey just wants in on those prison rapes at Abu Gharaib