American Tusk: Finding a Balance on Cheney, Torture, and Japan

by Dacia Nichol

From:

“We serve a cause that is right, and a cause that gives hope to the oppressed in every corner of this earth. We’re the kind of country that fights for freedom, and the men and women in that fight are some of the bravest citizens this nation has ever produced. The only way for us to lose is to quit.” - Dick Cheney

The April 28th, 2009 edition of the New York Sun had an editorial column titled, “Sound Familiar?”, in which the future of the GOP was debated in terms of “what if” Cheney had run in the 2008 presidential election. Since Cheney has been popping his head up as of late, this author has decided to put her two cents in on the matter:Why is Dick Cheney such a controversial figure? Was it his role in the Bush administration (read: quintessential Darth Vader)? His Chief of Staff’s penchant for revenge? Wait...it has to be his striking similarity to Satan himself, right? Perhaps all of these, perhaps none. On some sides of the conservative fence, he represents strength and the gall to do the dirty work when it needs to be done. On other sides, he’s everything that’s wrong in this country today - the complete lack of held sanctity for human life, the dissipation of civil liberties, and American values thrown out the window in the ultimate display of shame.What do you think?That leads to the next issue at hand...The topic of fiercest debate in our “Overseas Contingency Operation” is over the use of “enhanced interrogation” techniques, and this debate undoubtedly had its deepest impact on the GOP. What led the U.S. to hold such a high moral standard to begin with? A feeling that ultimately has lead us to feel sympathy for those who would not hesitate to kill any one of us while taking their own lives in the same instance? Is there suddenly no jungle to which certain rules must not apply as a matter of necessity in this world? A shining city on a hill can only shine as long as it can defend itself against its enemies…or can it? Teddy and Reagan seemed to think so, but Powell sees a different direction for their party.Where do you stand?Not to excuse the modern American practice of waterboarding (maybe to defend it instead), but the idea that waterboarding as was practiced at Club Gitmo bears any resemblance to that practiced by the Japanese is laughable. The distinction is simple - one you can survive 266 times and walk away without harm, the other you can’t. Ms. Coulter describes it best in her article, Watching MSNBC is Torture:"The Japanese version of "waterboarding" was to fill the prisoner's stomach with water until his stomach was distended -- and then pound on his stomach, causing the prisoner to vomit. Or they would jam a stick into the prisoner's nose so he could breathe only through his mouth and then pour water in his mouth so he would choke to death…Or they would "waterboard" the prisoner with saltwater, which would kill him.”Do you think there’s a difference?These questions seem to be causing a great stir in our party. Perhaps the words of the Editor of the New York Sun can help us remember our direction: “...What the country, and the Republicans, sorely need at this point is not nostalgia for Mr. Cheney but the emergence of a new generation of leaders that will make the case for a strong national defense and a modest government that respects property rights and the rule of law.”