It is now reasonably clear that the most important reason for continued torturing was so that the Bush administration could find evidence linking Al-Qaeda and Iraq. It had little to do with what Gerson is talking about -- "clear and serious" evidence of terrorism. He also says "captured murderers". How does he know they are murderers? By what evidence: forced confessions?

There is also no evidence brought forward so far that there was any agonizing at the higher echelons at all: everyone seems to have signed on quite blithely.   Where is the deliberative agony? The only agony seems to be among the military lawyers and others who protested at the risk of their careers.

This piece does not even rise to the level of an argument.


yours,

Peter T.