Politicians are More Concerned with Job Stability than Principles

In a story by Larry Margasak published on May 12th concerning Democratic participation in the CIA interrogation memo investigation. In this story it was documented that Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) will be chairing Wednesday's hearing. It was further clarified that Sen. Sheldon, with Sen. Feinstein (D-Ca) offered legislation banning so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques".

Apparently, Sen. Whitehouse said that "he never protested to the Bush Administration because 'it never crossed my mind that it would make the least bit of difference'".

So it makes a difference now? In hindsight? When the damage has already been done? Or is it because these techniques had the tolerance, if not enthusiastic support, of important Democrats who were more concerned about appearing to be soft on terrorists instead of being truly concerned about the harshness of enhanced interrogations. Maybe like Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca) who at that time was a senior member of the House Intelligence Committee. She was briefed on these techniques in 2002. What did she think these briefings were for?

Why not simply admit that in the frenzy and hysteria of the post September 2001 era that our government, in it's zeal to protect it's citizens and it's interests overseas, both Republicans AND Democrats permitted actions that previously would not have been considered acceptable. But for the Democrats to claim that they were completely unaware with what was going on is disingenuous and purposefully deceptive.

I would like to remind all who read this that "torture" in the United States of America is a very different thing, with very different consequences, than in much of the rest of the world. We use sleep deprivation, humiliation and water-boarding techniques which, while very unpleasant and hard to endure do not permanently injure or kill the person being interrogated. Compare that against the common use in much of the world to techniques which include fire, branding, electricity, the use of knives, pliers or other tools to injure and maim people believed to hold critical information.