Andy A: May I ask a question of you since you are a Vet (which is obviously very honorable) and a Republican (so I am curious).
As an individual that has been in a war and fought for your country, are you angry with the Bush Administration's treatment of prisoners? I am talking about the many people who have been imprisoned because the Administration/Military deems them enemy combatants and they are denied access to legal rights and have the right to be imprisoned for as long as someone decides? Are you angry at the now confirmed torture that went on? Do you think that the short sighted strategies of this Administration may make life for our soldiers much more difficult in case of capture? Have we not lost the moral highground that everyone believed (and rightly so) that the US had earned? I would legitimately like to know your thoughts on this (this is divorced in my eyes from any political party affliation - democrat or republican - as at its core it deals with human rights) - I am genuinely interested in knowing what people who have served feel?
Where to begin? This is only my opinion and feelings and I am sure many will disagree with me and others will agree. But you seemed sincere in asking the questions and I shall try to respond with the same sincerity. I am only displeased with the Bush Administration's treatment of prisoners at Gitmo in that they have definitely been held too long without some kind of trial or outright release. The UCMJ, I believe, though I may be wrong, covers the desposition of prisoners of war. It is not within the jurisdiction of our civilian court system to try, sentence or release prisoners taken in combat or similar situations, IMO.
With regard to the "confirmed torture". I am not angry about it because I think it was an isolated incident in one prison in Iraq. I do not see "water boarding" as torture, per se. Our troops are trained to know what is like and I feel fortunate that during my escape and evasion training I was never "captured" and subjected to it. I understand that some of us were given an example of what it is like. I personally know of no one who was forced to undergo such a demonstration. Let me say this. If the lives of my troops were in danger and I felt sure the individual I was questioning had answers to save them, I would be hard pressed to not use any method available to me to assure their safety and well being. And yes, I know John McCain believes "water boarding" to be torture.
There is no "moral highground" when you are involved in a combat situation and someone is shooting at you. You are only intent on survival and what you have to do to maintain it and protect your comrades. No, I don't think our troops will be put in anymore danger upon being captured than they already are. You have only to look at the experiences of those captives held at the Hanoi Hilton to know that we really can't make it much worse than that on those held captive.
There is no such thing as a "friendly war". There is also no one who hates war anymore than one who as experienced it regardless of what some may tell you. Combat situations also shape your thoughts, attitudes and responses to things that may not come along until years later. Poppy says he will give up no rights nor will I. We perceive "rights" in a different light, however, as I certainly saw the need for censorship during WWII. I won't argue that there may not be some erosion of "rights" in today's United States. But I think it is questionable that such erosion, if there actually is such, is permanent.
In closing, you are correct in your statment regarding politicizing your questions. These are not party issues. I believe that too often we are blinded by those implying "human rights" have been violated, when, in fact, they are only interested in promoting their own agenda, often to the detriment of our military personnel. As I said in the beginning, this is only one individual's opinion and feelings, born of my individual combat experiences and I am sure there are those who will disagree and that is what make this country great.
