We’ve been led to believe for some time now that the reason torture was a-okay was because it was being used to protect American lives. By torturing these inmates at Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere, we’d be able to figure out when future attacks might come in an effort to keep the people and interests of the United States safe. However, according to numerous reports, that may not have been the primary motive of these torturers.
According to reports by the CIA as well as Colin Powell, the primary reason that detainees were tortured was to find a link between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein. By finding this link, the United States would have a justification to go to war with Iraq. In his book, Inside the Jihad, Omar Nasiri (not his real name) mentions the fact that when any of the group was captured, they were supposed to give information linking Iraq to al-Qaeda.
The United States was duped. These are the possible course of actions that occurred. A terrorist was captured and he said, “Oh, oh, oh, al-Qaeda is linked to Saddam Hussein.” Our friends Dick Cheney, President Bush, Donny Rumsfeld and that motley crew saw a chance to go to war against an enemy that had been a pest for so long.
However, it took more than just that. So, they started torturing. With the Americans afraid of being attacked again, the Bush administration used the notion of torture as a way of “protecting Americans from future attack.” In fact, some reports say, the cause was to get a justification for war.
Now, the above account is obviously dramatized. However, what was our previous administration thinking? Did they honestly think that the United States could handle two wars at once, especially when the first one had just started a year and a half earlier? Why did they need to get involved in a second war?
If torture was used to protect American lives (which is rubbish), that’s mildly acceptable. However, to use torture to find a linkage between Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden is absolutely atrocious and those involved deserve to be punished. I understand President Bush was our President, but if he deceived the Americans, even he should go to jail for it.
However, if there is one person in that group that I’d really love to see in jail, it’s our poor-shot ex VP, Dick Cheney. The man who created the fourth branch of the government and has continuously come out against President Obama really needs to get the heck out. He should be punished the most. However, my arguments on Dick Cheney can be saved for an entirely different article.
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