The Daily Show Unedited Interview: Cliff May Wants to "Push the Boundaries" of Torture

by Damozel | Okay, kids:  "Cliff May defends America's waterboarding techniques in this complete, unedited three part interview" with Jon Stewart (after the jump).  Grit your teeth down on the bullet and prepare to listen (after the jump).  WARNING:  Not for those who hold old-fashioned ideas about America or its role in the world or for the weak of stomach, who aren't cowards, and who don't think it's all right to sacrifice any principle to protect your own skin..

Part 1:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Cliff May Unedited Interview Pt. 1
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis First 100 Days

Part 2:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Cliff May Unedited Interview Pt. 2
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis First 100 Days

Part 2:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Cliff May Unedited Interview Pt. 3
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis First 100 Days

Andrew Sullivan, with whom I completely agree on nothing except torture, comments on Cliff May's argument in favor of "torture lite":

I guess the jaw can drop some more. Here's Cliff May arguing two things at once. The first thing he argues is that you can do something called "torture lite" which isn't torture but has its effect. And what is its effect?

We now know that Islamists believe their religion forbids them to cooperate with infidels — until they have reached the limit of their ability to endure the hardships the infidel is inflicting on them.* In other words: Imagine an al-Qaeda member who would like to give his interrogators information, who does not want continue fighting, who would prefer not to see more innocent people slaughtered. He would need his interrogators to press him hard so he can feel that he has met his religious obligations — only then could he cooperate. 

So the test here is whether a prisoner reaches the limit of their ability to endure the pain and suffering imposed upon them. I see no way to understand this except to grasp that the pain and suffering is so severe that it can no longer be endured. This, if Cliff would like to educate himself on the subject, is the definition of torture.....

So Cliff is for torture. He has crossed the Rubicon in a way that will lead to more torture by regimes far more toxic than the United States...

It's evil. All of it. And fatal to the West. It must be investigated from top to bottom at length with great care; and then the rule of law must be restored.  (emphasis added)

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Comments

[George Rossi]

Physician's were a required presence at waterboarding sessions to administer EMERGENCY TRACHEOTOMYS!!!!

This from a Cliff May piece in the National Review (04/23/09):

"Among the released memos is one from then-assistant attorney general Jay Bybee emphasizing that waterboarding “will be stopped if deemed medically necessary to prevent severe mental or physical harm.” Another memo makes clear that supervising physicians were empowered to stop interrogations “if in their professional judgment the detainee may suffer severe physical or mental pain or suffering.” What’s severe? Again, circumstances matter and judgments may differ. Attempting to criminalize such differences is appallingly unethical — not least when done by people who call themselves 'ethicists.'"

Sorry, Cliffy....but if you are engaging in behavior that may result in the performance of an emergency tracheotomy, I reserve the right to call that unethical behavior....to the extreme.

I may not be a self proclaimed "ethicist", but my Momma did learnt me right from wrong.

[damozel]

George Rossi, you are so right.

[buy viagra]

He is right, torture must be eradicate in all it's forms.