It was a few weeks ago, but we visited in Phnom Penh a museum on the site of a former torture prison of the Khmer Rouge. It's right in the city and was formerly a school, before it was a prison. Eight prisoners survived the prison, among the thousands who were there. The vast majority of the others were killed in the killing fields about 12 km outside of Phnom Penh. One of the survivors was an artist who painted paintings of what he experienced. One such painting is an example of waterboarding. Here is a picture, not ours, of what he painted.
America is supposed to be, as President Reagan said, a shining city on a hill, that represents the best that the world has to offer. We fail sometime, but we must continuously strive to uphold our morals and not compromise them when it suits us. I may be idealist, but that's what I believe. That is why I think it is horrible when our nation resorts to undertaking torture (if you want my opinion on the phrase "enhanced interrogation techniques" read 1984 and its take on euphemisms) in the same way that the worst regimes on Earth have done. Torture is inhumane, degrading and pointless. There are no ticking time bombs and the information is more likely to be false than true. For our nation to resort to such tactics and then to try to defend them as necessary is a failure on many levels for our humanity and our goals of being that shining city.
I strongly believe that the architects of America's torture program must be investigate and brought to justice. America is a nation governed by the rule of law. It must remain so.
Two last points:
1 - Seren didn't read this and so I cannot say that she agrees.
2 - I will now get off my soapbox and go enjoy Melbourne. We just booked a tour for tomorrow to see kangaroos!!
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