Historian Alistair Horne talks here about the parallels between France’s doomed counter-insurgency campaign in Algeria and our current morass in Iraq. The most obvious parallel is the way in which the U.S. has copied what Horne calls "the vile hand of torture." Horne’s book on the Algeria debacle, "A Savage War," is currently being read by the president. Horne sent the book to former defense secretary Rumsfeld, with passages on torture underlined. Rumsfeld sent him a "fierce" note back, and then apparently relented and agreed with Horne. Horne’s conclusion from Algeria:
"As far as torture is concerned, the answer must be never, never, never."
Too late, alas. Too late.
The Dish 