U.S. Army Interrogator supports torture probe: "we cannot become our enemy in trying to defeat him"

[sabra]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-alexander/torture-caused-the-deaths_b_273116.html



Matthew Alexander

Led the interrogations that found Zarqawi; author of "How to Break a Terrorist"


McCain Backs Torture as Recruiting Tool for Al Qaida; Policy Led to the Deaths of U.S. Soldiers in Iraq

Since writing an Op-Ed (I'm Still Torture by What I Saw in Iraq, Nov '08) for The Washington Post over nine months ago stating that the U.S. policy of torture and abuse was Al Qaida's number one recruiting tool and ultimately caused the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of American soldiers in Iraq, several critics have questioned the validity of my argument. I based my opinion on my personal experience in conducting and supervising over 1,300 interrogations and on statistics compiled by my Task Force and briefed to us by a DoD expert on foreign fighters in Iraq. I was not the first to make this argument about torture as a recruiting tool, but I was the first to say that the policy of torture and abuse was directly linked to U.S. deaths in Iraq. It's a hard pill to swallow, but true.

Former Vice-President Dick Cheney called torture as a recruiting tool for Al Qaida a 'mantra' and stated that it was untrue. Wayne Simmons, a former CIA agent, called it 'preposterous' when I made this argument over the past weekend on Fox and Friends. Ann Coulter questioned it. Bill O'Reilly. Laura Ingraham. Brit Hume. And a host of others. Of course, none of the above mentioned individuals have interrogated an Al Qaida member, and with the exception of Wayne Simmons, worked as an intelligence officer or served in the military. So let's turn to individuals who have supported this argument.

...

Those who call this argument 'preposterous' or dismiss it as a political 'mantra' are living in denial. I believe as a member of the Armed Forces that I had an obligation to my fellow brothers and sisters
in arms to not put their lives in jeopardy, yet senior civilian leaders in the former administration willing sacrificed American principles and caused the deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq. In addition, many senior military officers encouraged, authorized, and allowed torture and abuse to be used against prisoners and ultimately cost us the lives of our comrades.

I have been contacted by World War II veterans who were outraged that the former administration so easily dismissed the American principles that millions of veterans gave their lives to defend. They pointed out what I have said all along - we cannot become our enemy in trying to defeat him.

This is one reason why I support the call for an independent, non-partisan commission to investigate the past policy of torture and abuse. We owe it to the fallen.

[Winterblues]

1. Well.....Duhhhhh

Of course the fact we tortured prisoners helped the enemy recruit. Hatred has a way of doing that and we created much hatred.

[justinaforjustice]

2. Thousands Surrendered Because U.S. Did Not Torture.

During World War II, thousands of enemy soldiers surrendered to the Americans without putting up a fight because they knew they would be well-treated by the Americans. This reputation for kindness saved our own soldiers lives. The Bush administration has singled-handedly destroyed America's reputation for treating enemy soldiers kindly, thus causing our enemies to fight to the death as well as to make them disposed to torture our soldiers if they are captured.

We must restore the rule of law in the U.S. and the only way to do that is to prosecute those who designed, ordered and implemented the torture policies which have done us so much harm. Vice President Cheney and President Bush -- and the criminal cabal which carried out their orders -- must be brought to trial. We must never allow such lawlessness to remain in power again.

[LiberalAndProud]

3. Cheney has the notion that if he says something, it will

become the truth. He is engaging in magical thinking.

- or -

he is a liar.

[madokie]

5. Cheney is a war criminal

Thats all he is, a fucking war criminal.

[Senator]

4. Commissions Are Toothless. A Tribunal Is Required.

And Justice Souter is uniquely qualified to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_H._Jackson">be our Justice Jackson. (But alone, without the http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/28/AR2009082803159.html">poison pill of Simpleton Sandy.)

Still, it seems to be too much drama for Obama -- to abide by and enforce the laws and treaty obligations our greater generations fought and died to forge.

--

[tk2kewl]

6. when you fight evil with evil, evil wins.

nt