McCain Promises Not to Torture...Americans
The fact that we're even having a debate on the use of torture in this country is not only embarrassing to me as an American, it puts the lives and well being of American soldiers in danger. If we—the greatest super power in the world, the shining light for freedom and decency, the moral authority on right and wrong—can decide that torture is OK sometimes, then what's our defense against other nations who come to the same conclusion when it comes to American detainees? John McCain has a simple answer: don't torture Americans.
When recently asked by an AP reporter if the United States doesn't "stand for something better" when nit comes to the torture question, McCain offered an odd defense:
I've made it very clear, I've made it very clear in my statements and in my support of the Detainee Treatment Act, the Geneva Conventions, etc., that there may be some additional techniques to be used, but none of those would violate the Geneva Conventions, the Detainee Treatment Act...And we cannot ever, in my view, torture any American, that includes waterboarding.
Now, the question of torturing Americans hasn't been posed so why would he specifically argue against such a thing? As a victim of torture at the hands of Vietnamese war criminals, you'd think he'd understand better than most how important it is that the United States maintain the moral high ground on this issue. The fact that he doesn't proves to me that his greatest asset for commander in chief (that being his understanding of foreign affairs and military use) is an empty promise.
