Prosecuting Torture...and Surprise from Fox's Shep Smith

I've been waiting to talk about this as it continues to develop. However, it seems a few things are quite clear on the subject of what we've done to suspected terrorists. Memos have been released. We knew it before but now it is a bit more official.

People at the highest level of the Bush administration (including Bush himself) authorized tactics such as water boarding. Who took the heat? Ground-level people -- soldiers, sergeants -- pawns in a classic government game. Some were jailed, careers were ruined, embarrassed, one went as far as committing suicide.

Some still argue, including the former Vice President Dick Cheney, that the methods were effective in obtaining information that prevented further terror attacks. So, even if it is immoral and illegal, if it is effective, should we do it? Do the ends justify the means? Do we have principles, or do we just say that we do until times get tough? Does America torture? Is it wrong if we do?

And so is the same with going forward to prosecute Bush officials who committed these acts. Logically, it'd make sense to hold those who made an illegal call accountable. But what a bind to be in when those people are the opposition party in the highest government office in the most powerful nation in the world? Serious conundrum for the Obama administration.

Lets be clear. Torture is an ineffective long-term strategy. At the most, if Dick Cheney is right, torture is a band-aide and that's it. On the flip side, terrorists who have been innocently tortured have gone back to attack America after their release. There is a much larger systemic problem having to due how we deal with terror organizations and enemy countries. This is an answer for smart, sophisticated, and policy-driven people.

So should we prosecute Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and Condoleeza Rice? Legally, if it looks like they did what it looks like they did, yes. Morally, is it right to go after people at the top (even if those people are the very top level elected officials), yes. No one is above anyone else, right? Politically, should we? Maybe not. This is Obama's conudrum.

Here's one offered solution that I don't know if I agree with, but I'll offer it: Free up the ones who paid the price down the line, acknowledge the mistake on the part of the country, make known big time throughout the world who signed off on it, and then make clear that this administration won't do the same.

This was surprising as hell, but am pleased to see it:

Shep Smith, Fox News Host, "We are America, We Do Not Fucking Torture": http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/22/shepard-smith-torture_n_190350.html