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Limbaugh on interrogation memos: "If you look at what we are calling torture, you have to laugh"

April 17, 2009 1:19 pm ET

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    • Author by all your eyes (April 17, 2009 1:26 pm ET)
         
      If it's so funny, why don't he and Hannity head on down to club Gitmo, and let me smack them around, lock them in a box full of spiders, perform simulated drowning, expose their naked bodies to extremes of hot and cold under sleep deprivation with heavy metal at 120 dB for hours and hours under super-bright spotlights, and let's repeat the process for 6 months.
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      • Author by fairliberal (April 17, 2009 3:36 pm ET)
           
        Yes, we should just offer them a latte and ask if there is anything they would like to tell us.
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        • Author by tman418 (April 17, 2009 4:01 pm ET)
             
          Torture doesn't work. And maybe a terrorist might be more willing to tell us something if they are more comfortable.

          http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/28/AR2009032802066.html?wprss=rss_print/asection

          http://www.military.com/news/article/exinterrogator-torture-doesnt--work.html

          And this guy was on the Daily Show. Unfortunately I couldn't find the interview but it looks like a good book. He was an ex-interrogator who talked about breaking a terrorist without torture.

          http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4377271.How_to_Break_a_Terrorist_The_U_S_Interrogators_Who_Used_Brains_Not_Brutality_to_Take_Down_the_Deadliest_Man_in_Iraq

          And old Native American proverb:

          "If man can be as wise as a serpent, he can be as harmless as a dove."
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          • Author by tman418 (April 17, 2009 4:02 pm ET)
               
            I have no idea why the link goes way out of the box.
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            • Author by mattcable250650 (April 17, 2009 4:57 pm ET)
                 
              There's no "/" in it. You can embed links on this site, by the way. There are many sites that won't allow it.

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              • Author by tman418 (April 18, 2009 5:53 am ET)
                   
                I wish I knew how to do that, and do italics and bold and all that.
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          • Author by fairliberal (April 17, 2009 6:17 pm ET)
               
            I am well aware of the opinions that torture does not work , many very knowledgeable people on the subject will tell you just that.  And in the case of severe physical torture I would tend to agree, someone will say what ever you want to hear just to stop it. However I think that some of the methods we are talking about in this case do not fall into the realm of severe physical torture. What I do believe is that most of the people who speak out against the things we are talking about, would do the same things if it were one of their kids for instance that was in danger. I know I would, without hesitation.
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            • Author by LuvLuLu (April 17, 2009 11:26 pm ET)
                 
              It's not an opinion that torture doesn't work. It's a known fact.
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              • Author by fairliberal (April 18, 2009 12:30 am ET)
                   
                Apparently you do not know the difference between an opinion and a fact.  Or perhaps you do not agree that waterboarding is torture.  http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/2007/11/02/waterboarding-works/
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                • Author by tman418 (April 18, 2009 5:51 am ET)
                     
                  Your link post is by some fringe blog with nothing but an opinion that doesn't even post the results about Khalid Sheikd Mohammad's torture. Only that he "talked". Was the information accurate and useful (hint: no).

                  By the way, the "imminent danger" argument is nothing but a typical strawman talking point that is used over and over and over again. First of all, how would you know if there is imminent danger in the first place? Again, if you can be a good interrogator, you can get it out without waterboarding and torture (both are the same). If you can capture someone right before they commit a terrorist attack or while they are doing it, I think you eliminated the "imminent danger" there.
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              • Author by fairliberal (April 18, 2009 12:43 am ET)
                   
                One thing I am curious about , how woulld you , or anyone else who wishes to comment , handle the interrogations of terrorist detainees. I am particularly interested in cases where people are suspected of knowing details of imminent attacks. Anyone care to elaborate ?
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                • Author by tman418 (April 18, 2009 5:52 am ET)
                     
                  Well, i don't think any of us are trained experts, including yourself, so I don't think any of us, or you for that matter, should try.
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        • Author by friedbergboy1422 (April 17, 2009 6:08 pm ET)
             
          Are you willing to undergo these harmless tactics, FL?
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          • Author by fairliberal (April 17, 2009 6:19 pm ET)
               
            I wasn't aware I was a terrorist. But I would use them to save a child of yours for instance, it is a shame that you would not.
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            • Author by mikehuck1976 (April 17, 2009 6:39 pm ET)
                 
              What a pathetic, childish attack.  What a pathetic, childish, simpleton way of looking at the world.  You get answers from building a relationship with the prisoner.  Sometimes you use isolation or the military's way of good cop - many bad cops.  There are several ways to get a prisoner to believe that the interrogator is someone who wants to help him or someone he can trust.  The one way we know does NOT work is to torture them.  My children and your children should not be allowed into the argument.  Frankly, we are talking about bigger things here - like the honor of our civilization.  I am sure you are unable to see that big picture - it does not surprise me at all.
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              • Author by fairliberal (April 17, 2009 6:55 pm ET)
                   

                You're still angry about being proven dead wrong yesterday. But I bet you loved the tactic when Donahue and Moore used it on O'Reilly.  You are a true liberal, 2 sets of rules.

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                • Author by tman418 (April 18, 2009 5:56 am ET)
                     
                  What a non-response to the topic at hand. Your comment was indeed childish. You said that he doesn't care about his own children because he wouldn't use your preferred tactics of interrogation. It's despicable. You guys lost an election big time (2008) with these types of ad-hominem attacks.
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                • Author by mikehuck1976 (April 18, 2009 1:07 pm ET)
                     

                  What did I say about Donahue and Moore?  What are my 2 sets?  Let me guess - you still think Obama commissioned and received the a published report from DHS on right-wing extremist groups within a week?  You are very childish and clearly have no idea how the government, or the world, works. 

                  I pity you, though.  I can only imagine how many times you have to repeat to yourself at night "O'Reilly is right!  O'Reilly is right!" before you are able to close your eyes and fall asleep.  I only hope someday you wake up and realize the futility of your insanity.  And, please, leave my children and their safety out of your immature, propaganda-spreading "fair" "arguments".

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                  • Author by fairliberal (April 18, 2009 6:04 pm ET)
                       
                    Well frankly I am surprised at the uproar about my post. As I pointed out both Michael Moore and Phil Donahue both invoked kids in discussions involving the Iraq War and there was no outcry from the left as far as I could see. Quite the contrary they were both applauded for kicking  butt as I recall. So is this just another example of the " do as I say , not as I do" democrats?
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                    • Author by tman418 (April 19, 2009 3:43 am ET)
                         
                      I think it is STUPID to simply bring someone's kids in an argument. But I think it is even worse to imply or even say (as you just did) that someone doesn't care about his/her own kids.

                      So, Donahue and Moore us the examples of kids, so that gives you the right to tell a blogger you don't even know that he/she doesn't care about his/her own kids?
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                    • Author by tman418 (April 19, 2009 3:46 am ET)
                         
                      "I am surprised at the uproar over my post"

                      Gee, what part of...telling someone that they don't care about their kids because they won't use your preferred method of interrogation would be insulting...don't you understand?
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                    • Author by mikehuck1976 (April 19, 2009 10:04 pm ET)
                         

                      Where did I say these things?  Provide your link please.

                      Unless you are admitting that you were incorrect and are simply a propaganda-spreading smear merchant.  Provide a link.

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                      • Author by fairliberal (April 20, 2009 12:40 am ET)
                           
                        I guess that means that since you could not provide a link for your ficticious history of G H W Bush's involvement in Afghanistan you were wrong about it. But regardless of that I did not state that you said anything, I only referenced the left's use of kids to make a point and was obviously pointing to the hypocracy of objecting to my use of it, when it had been a perfectly acceptable tactic to the left wingers .
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                        • Author by mikehuck1976 (April 20, 2009 2:49 am ET)
                             

                          You said I loved it when Donahue and Moore did something.  That is what you said.  I am happy to hear you admit in your own special doublt-talk way that you lied.  Also happy to hear that you no longer put such importance on your "links".  Good to know.

                          I think your idea to defend the same torture that our country prosecuted just a generation or so ago and make jokes out of it comparing it to serving lattes is a wonderful idea.  I would encourage you and your party to continue to defend such madness, as well as secession and all the other wingnut ideas the Republicans have decided to embrace in their desperation.

                          As someone who never voted for a Democratic presidential candidate until W. Bush ran for office I can tell you that you and your party leadership of Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, and O'Reilly are indeed killing the Republican party.  All your strawmen, red herrings, and propaganda-based arguments may very well work to convince yourself that everything and anything your party does is correct and must be defended at all costs.  It may indeed work to enable you all to avoid ever having to take part in an actual debate of topics based on facts and the merits of your argument.  But, you have lost the American voter.  Enjoy the wilderness.

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            • Author by tman418 (April 18, 2009 5:57 am ET)
                 
              "I wasn't aware I was a terrorist"

              You mean: "I wasn't aware I was a terrorist SUSPECT"
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        • Author by mikehuck1976 (April 17, 2009 6:43 pm ET)
             
          I think you and your party are full of wonderful ideas at this point.  Encourage and defend the same torture that our parents and grandparents generation prosecuted the Japanese for.  Act like it's funny.  Bring in and encourage the idea of secession into your party.  Be sure to defend the far-right wing extremist militia groups that DHS is reporting on.  Become one with them.  Become the fringe.  I think these are all fantastic ideas.  Good luck in the next election.
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    • Author by friedbergboy1422 (April 17, 2009 1:32 pm ET)
         
      We need to start "first guessing" these things.  We need to ask pundits BEFORE these memos come out:  "What would you consider torture?" and give them some examples.  That way, when the memos come out they will be stuck.
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    • Author by fawltylogic (April 17, 2009 1:54 pm ET)
         
      If you look at Limbaugh, you have to laugh.
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    • Author by mattcable250650 (April 17, 2009 2:17 pm ET)
         
      Okay, if we want to put, say, Dick Cheney on trial, we'd first put his daughter under the regimen, letting him observe of course. Then we do it to his wife, then we do it to him. Then he can deliver official, accurate testimony as to whether the techniques constitute torture or not!
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      • Author by tman418 (April 17, 2009 4:03 pm ET)
           
        I don't think his wife and daughter would deserve that.
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        • Author by mattcable250650 (April 17, 2009 5:01 pm ET)
             

          The fact that people would find the suggestion horrifying is the whole point. If Cheney would react by saying "Oh, no you don't!" then that's dispositive proof that the methods do indeed constitute torture.

          I was happy to see someone object to the idea. No, I don't think they'd deserve it, either.

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