The War on Torture

"The War on Torture"

I heard an announcer use this phrase on MSNBC this morning. While the phrase does reflect the left leaning bias of MSNBC, it strikes me as an appropriate summary of what is happening in Washington and in all the media right now. The nation is in an uproar. It is a frenzy that is unlikely to diminish in the near term.

It really reflects the nation's mood and priorities that the Obama Administration has eliminated the term "War of Terror," while engaging in an introspective and potentially destructive "War on Torture."

As the T-Shirt on the right illustrates, The War on Torture is about to become a national industry. That t-shirt and literally hundreds more are available from cafe press.

Although Republicans object to the administration's release of the various torture memos and their simultaneous failure to release the significant intelligence gathered through the use of "enhanced interrogation," what Republicans fail to realize is "the cat is out of the bag."

This drama will now play out for the next two years at the very least, unless......

...... unless we suffer a significant terrorist attack. That would instantly change the national mood and the direction of this inquiry. Frankly, if our enemies have a modicum of political intuition, they will leave the nation alone and just watch the coming train wreck.

Here are some interesting links with different opinions and observations:

Representative Peter Hoekstra (R-MI), ranking Republican on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Congress Knew About the Interrogations

Blogger and frequent contributor Bob "Shoo" Shoemaker: Prosecute 'Em