EXEMPTING THE CIA

A former general counsel for the agency argues against Dick Cheney’s case for legally codifying torture as a lawful activity for the CIA. Meanwhile, new evidence emerges that individuals within the CIA have warned that illegality was occurring. Here’s one question I hope the press asks the president some time soon: does he believe that “waterboarding” constitutes torture and has he ever authorized it himself? Since we know that the CIA has been granted permission to water-board detainees, this doesn’t violate anything classified. And since no specific case is mentioned, it doesn’t tell us anything but general policy. So why not ask the question? An important element of this debate has been euphemism. The terms “coercive interrogation” or “aggressive interrogation” or even “abuse” can obscure as much as they reveal. These techniques need to be described as Orwell would have demanded. What is actually done to another human being? Exactly? And who specifically authorized which techniques? There’s a reason that politicians use Orwellian formulations as Bush does and Clinton did: to obscure reality. Except Clinton used them to cover up sexual embarrassment and perjury. Bush has used them to cover up rape, murder, near-drowning and torture of defenseless detainees.