Marc YachtAmerica’s international status reached its peak after World War II. Critics and supporters must concede that America’s intervention reversed Axis successes saving Europe, Africa, and Asia. Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor provided the political support President Roosevelt needed to enter the war.
Unfortunately, many decisions made after WWII were tied to American corporate interests that interfered with South American politics. Our standing among the affected populations suffered as did American prestige abroad. Concerns about American motives continue today as corporate influences have trumped the body politic and not always served the best interest of U.S. citizens.
Expensive adventures abroad like the Iraq invasion have crippled the U.S. economy and undermined efforts to deal with expensive domestic issues such as health care, jobs and poverty. Needed road improvements, antiquated municipal systems and lagging education all suffer from a lack of resources as ongoing wars bleed our economy. These entanglements may serve some corporate interests but certainly not the overall quality of American life.
The latest fodder for American detractors is the sordid tale of CIA prisoner torture and secret U.S.-run prisons. Although there are defenders of such actions and a lot of hair-splitting as to whether one would call water-boarding or other heinous acts torture, such prisoner treatment goes against America’s fundamental human rights policies. I would describe the CIA as an agency gone amok and given a green light from the highest levels of government.
It is interesting that the FBI, still influenced by a long dead J. Edgar Hoover, dodged pressures to join in the abuse of prisoners. FBI leadership since 9/11 has been very cautious of compromising agency doctrine. They remain thus far unscathed by the criticism borne solely by the CIA with additional fingers pointing to the Bush administration. The gang around George W. Bush served him poorly. However, the president cannot escape accountability. It is important to note that the intelligence committee that released the report is bipartisan and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL, a fierce report critic, was on that committee.
President Barack Obama is correct when stating that actions noted in the report are, “Contrary to who we are.” Diane Feinstein states that such actions are, “A stain on our values and our history.” Sen. Bill Nelson suggests that our enemies do much worse and many Republicans question the report. Senate Republican John McCain of Arizona said it best: “This question isn’t about our enemies, it is about us.”
The 528 page Senate Intelligence Committee report took 5 years to compile. Although the CIA suggests the report contains serious flaws, there continues to be vast evidence that the agency carried tactics too far. Secret prisons that initially were denied now have been acknowledged.
Experts claim that information revealed by torture is unreliable. Many feel the report is an inappropriate airing of our dirty linen and can only harm the nation. However, by exposing such behavior to the American public, future U.S. leaders may better heed American values when treating perceived enemies.
Post- 9/11 supplied many heroes for those watching the actions of the police, fire departments, and volunteers. International sympathy and support followed the terrible crimes committed. Unfortunately, the Bush administration squandered this good will by actions contrary to American values and policy. To regain our prestige as a nation, we must address the wrongs clearly established in the bipartisan report and hold those responsible fully accountable.
Marc Yacht is a semi-retired physician living in Hudson, Fla. Column courtesy of Context Florida.
One comment
Jon Shebel
December 15, 2014 at 12:26 pm
As American’s we should never engage in torture. However, what the CIA and other intelligence agencies do and have done since the start of WWII is not torture. The techniques used are to “break down the targets intellectually and emotionally”……….and, the techniques work to gain information to protect Americans and our allies. There is nothing wrong with “making a target believe” that you are going to “cut his heard off”………..obviously “actually doing the act” is wrong. All our military special operations personnel and intelligence field operatives go through training which uses the same techniques on them as are applied to our enemies. It is definitely stressful and frightening………..but, it is not torture. It is interesting that most of the people calling the “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques” torture have “never been there and done that”. I’ll make Dr. Yacht a deal……….I won’t practice medicine, which I know nothing about, if he won’t try to talk as though he is knowledgeable about EIT, which he knows nothing about. And, the doctor should know that medical doctors are always present at locations where interrogations of a “strategic nature” are taking place. Now CIA personnel going to “back off” to protect themselves from a “personal liability” point of view………and, Americans will die because the CAI personnel “pulled back”!!!! Dr. Yacht blames “American corporations” for all the “wrongs” in the world………..has he ever heard of communism, radical muslim (spelled with lower case “m” intentionally) extremist, and the other “ism’s”????????? Maybe the good doctor should take a trip to Arlington National Cemetery and attend one of the funerals of a young American killed by muslim extremists.
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