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The World is Thinking

The Dark Side: Jane Mayer

Commonwealth Club
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Rdallas1 Avatar
Rdallas1
Posts: 44
Posted: 07.16.09, 10:55 AM
Great video. I found the first three chapters about torture and the reaction to 9/11 very interesting. Although I am not exactly sure how I feel about torture especially regarding national security threats but I think our government definitely uses it way more then necessary if in fact torture is ever necessary. It doesn't surprise me though that the government has a curriculum for torture. If found an interesting article on SERE:http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/06/29/torture/
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Max C Avatar
Max C
Posts: 1
Posted: 07.24.09, 11:16 PM
Yes definitely the Obama administration has changed the approach of the US Government to the war on terrorism. The Obama administration has, in fact, given the guiding principles of US Foreign Policy a 180 degree change when compared to the principles that guided the Bush Administration’s approach to Foreign Policy. What worries me is that the Obama’s administration new approach to foreign policy has, in a very short time, suffered three substantial failures: 1) The recent Iranian elections 2) North Korea’s testing of nuclear missiles and 3) The position of the State Department regarding the constitutional succession of power in Honduras. Instead of supporting the Honduran efforts to stop Hugo Chavez’s expansionist strategies, the Obama administration decided to adopt a “hands off” approach, and insist on the return to power of Mr. Zelaya (a strong ally of Mr. Chavez in Central America). The Obama administration’s approach to Foreign Policy is fragile and will not lead to the campaign promise of restoring the US moral authority and leadership throughout the world.
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EdSzumowski Avatar
EdSzumowski
Posts: 1
Posted: 01.28.10, 10:03 AM
It's an interesting discussion. Putting purely moral questions about torture (or anything close to torture) aside:

Ms. Mayer appears to be educated but is surprisingly naive. SERE school is not a 'secret program' - thousands of soldiers have been through SERE school, not just CIA operatives and the like.

Perhaps it is a sign of the blinding security we've enjoyed for the last several decades that people are shocked to hear of soldiers trained to resist torture. How else shall we do it? What is the alternative plan for survival? You need to be alive before you can ask morality questions.
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