READER COMMENTS ON
"Skeptical Rightwing Radio Host Waterboarded, Lasts Six Seconds, Calls it 'Absolutely Torture'"
(19 Responses so far...)
COMMENT #1 [Permalink]
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Floridiot
said on 5/22/2009 @ 2:55 pm PT...
You know the old saying that it takes a two-by-four slapped upside someones head to get it to sink in they're so dense...well, that applies to the wingnuts in spades.
COMMENT #2 [Permalink]
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cann4ing
said on 5/22/2009 @ 3:32 pm PT...
Brad, in his 08/01/2002 memo to the CIA's John Rizzo [PDF], Jay Bybee noted that SERE waterboarding was discontinued by all branches of the service except the Navy “because it was so successful as an interrogation technique” that it was “almost 100% effective in producing cooperation among the trainees.”
Keep in mind that this "cooperation" (better described as capitulation) is secured even though the SERE trainees know that it's only training and even though they know that medical personnel are standing by to make sure they don't die by drowning.
Like the SERE trainees, Manchow had the luxury of knowing that he had nothing to lose by capitulating. Compare that to my father's circumstance in which he believed that by confessing to being a British agent, he was signing his own death warrant, yet he signed the "confession"--and you begin to appreciate the awesome brutality of this ancient form of torture.
Ernest A. Canning
COMMENT #3 [Permalink]
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Agent 99
said on 5/22/2009 @ 4:48 pm PT...
Okay. Now I'm crying. Will THIS convince Obama to uphold the Constitution? Will Holder now grow a pair and prosecute? Now that someone who radically didn't want to think it admits it's torture? Will this FINALLY stop us beating the shit out of detainees?
Please?
COMMENT #4 [Permalink]
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Progressive Mews
said on 5/22/2009 @ 5:22 pm PT...
Thanks for posting, it gave me an idea.
I'm sure you're well aware of the challenge that Olbermann put out to Hanity, well.... SEE HERE
Of course, what I really want is for this story to be broadcast on the MSM, for it to be spread far and wide!
COMMENT #5 [Permalink]
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Bamboo Harvester
said on 5/22/2009 @ 6:13 pm PT...
I wasn't tickled the way 'La Daily Cosa Nostra' took it upon themselves to spend someone else's money & dragging others along ... Tacky! ... I would like to see hannity hold up his side of the bargain. Indeed the "media" should keep track of hannity's welching.
~
COMMENT #6 [Permalink]
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Progressive Mews
said on 5/22/2009 @ 7:44 pm PT...
Bamboo Harvester:
Where is that written or in reference to? Or is that your own commentary? If it's about the diary I posted on Daily Kos today, then don't be ridiculous!
And what is it you're asking a "redo" on?
[ed note: He was asking for a redo on an earlier draft of his comment and I just missed deleting the relevant phrases, sorry. --99]
COMMENT #7 [Permalink]
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Bamboo Harvester
said on 5/22/2009 @ 10:36 pm PT...
P.M. ~ Tacky, Yet effective, Olbermann comes through! He's truly is Da~Man! ... As a result he took hannity off the hook, Unfortunately ... Perhaps his rationale understandably is that if something happend to hannity Keith would have to live with it ... This pissing contest had some major consequences & Yous did provided him a Graceful Exit ... Cheers!
~
COMMENT #8 [Permalink]
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mabamford
said on 5/23/2009 @ 8:18 am PT...
COMMENT #9 [Permalink]
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PonceDeleon
said on 5/23/2009 @ 2:36 pm PT...
COMMENT #10 [Permalink]
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Bamboo Harvester
said on 5/23/2009 @ 4:07 pm PT...
COMMENT #11 [Permalink]
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john
said on 5/24/2009 @ 7:31 am PT...
no ponce she didnt say anything important...as usual.
COMMENT #12 [Permalink]
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Bamboo Harvester
said on 5/24/2009 @ 5:55 pm PT...
I must say Richard Greene of AAM did a Fine job covering this !
~
COMMENT #13 [Permalink]
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Progressive Mews
said on 5/25/2009 @ 10:17 pm PT...
Bamboo Harvester:
Greene did indeed cover this well, and I appreciated that he made a point of connecting accountability for Hannity's statements to media integrity - an issue that's "near & dear to my heart." I don't think I'll be finding any opposition to media reform here. =)
By the way, perhaps it was just serendipity that Olbermann had dealt with this development the way I had suggested in my DailyKos diary, as he said that Mancow's PR person contacted him. However, I thought you might find it interesting that I have since been "scrubbed" entirely from DailyKos - no joke. Not only is my diary gone, but there is no trace of it at all, nor does my profile exist there anymore, and they actually went as far as to BLOCK MY IP ADDRESS from accessing their website!
Seems to me that if they thought as you did that it was "tacky" then you'd think they might have simply taken down the diary, contacted me to say why they did it and/or tell me it broke a rule or something (which I seriously doubt), etc... but to block my IP from ANY access and scrub me entirely?
DailyKos = Censorship
All in all though, I'm really glad that Olbermann covered the story - and yeah, he's DA MAN!!!
COMMENT #14 [Permalink]
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Richard Greene
said on 5/25/2009 @ 10:40 pm PT...
We owe Mancow a big thank you for solving the debate over waterboarding and showing up his buddy Hannity. But I'm not willing to let Hannity go, as Olbermann has. Hannity uses the public airwaves and he must either keep his word, admit the debate is over and give money to his charity as if he did something or admit that he does not have the courage to keep his word. His integrity and the integrity of Conservative talk radio is still at question now. I, on Hollywood CLOUT! every night at 6pm Pacific/9pm Eastern, will continue to keep the pressure on.
COMMENT #15 [Permalink]
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Progressive Mews
said on 5/26/2009 @ 1:02 am PT...
Thanks Richard!
The bit about "letting Hannity off the hook" was disappointing to say the least; so thank you for your commitment to keeping up the appropriate pressure.
At least we can count on YOUR integrity!
COMMENT #16 [Permalink]
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Bamboo Harvester
said on 5/26/2009 @ 5:11 am PT...
Progressive Mews ~
I Feel Absolutely Terrible that they did that to you! I can see absolutely no legitimate reason for them to do that. In fact, that led to the best possible chain of events ~ IMHO (as I stated previously) ... You should have been commended not punished ! I just put out an opinion ...and you know what they say about opinions. . .
I have heard of thing of that nature you descibed happening over there hence the parody of the name. (was kidding) So with any luck cooler heads will prevail over there ... Unless ya pullin my chain . . .
Olbermann is off the hook while Hannity is on in perpetuity . . .
As I see it the purpose of the torture was to Punish, Terrorize the opposition, Sadistic gratification, Confessions for propaganda and justification for war ... if that ain't WAR CRIMES I don't know what is ...
Richard, Good job ... and now I'm glad to say GOOD STREAM !
~
COMMENT #17 [Permalink]
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Bamboo Harvester
said on 5/26/2009 @ 5:35 am PT...
Progressive Mews ~ you link on #4 Works just fine !
COMMENT #18 [Permalink]
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brantl
said on 5/26/2009 @ 12:33 pm PT...
Olbermann's a class act, all right.
COMMENT #19 [Permalink]
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Progressive Mews
said on 5/28/2009 @ 11:29 pm PT...
Bamboo Harvester:
I just noticed today that my diary is back up! I SWEAR it wasn't anywhere to be found in Google searches for at least a day or two. Maybe they heard me talking about the censorship? I certainly wasn't quiet about it (here OR elsewhere). Who knows?
Thanks for letting me know though, I really do appreciate it!
PS - Did you hear Greene tonight on "Clout!" talking about where we should take it from here, in holding Hannity accountable? If not, you should know he was asking the audience for suggestions, and proposed a few ideas too; so go put in your two cents if you got 'em!