Maybe I'm Wrong, But Secrecy Sometimes Needs To Trump Transparency

Let me be clear, wars are a terrible waste of human life, usually predicated on some chaps perverse need for power, and yes when they occur it would be great if all parties played by the Geneva convention rules, but for the most part that’s not the real world. Wars are by definition the very abhorrence of fair play.

Withholding food, forcing prisoners to stand in uncomfortable positions for long periods, confinement in cramped boxes, putting insects into a box with a prisoner who has a strong fear of insects and simulated drowning are of course, all forms of torture to a lesser or greater degree. But forgive my sarcasm, what does releasing classified torture memos achieve....

I’m not questioning Barack’s well intentioned sense of right or wrong, but I think its naïve on his part to believe that this idea of transparency will lead to Abu Zubaydah or the likes realizing the error of their ways. Somehow I doubt they’ll be releasing Al-Qaeda torture memos later on today, or rewriting a new Al-Qaeda rules of engagement pamphlet; suicide bombings -out, putting kids in the line of fire - out ...oh and executing westerners on national TV, -out.

I wish it was easy to rise above the lowest common denominator of humanity, but when you are dealing with people who are cutting off heads, to make a point I’m not sure how giving up the intelligence playbook and making terrorists completely aware of the absolute limits to which we can go during interrogation, is a good thing.

Call me quirky, but I don’t think the “Oh please sir could you tell me where your fellow cohorts keep the soldiers you captured last week?” approach is going to work...