Jonathan Alter titled his most recent article in the June 14 issue of Newsweek, Cheney’s Tortured Logic. The story is about enhanced interrogation techniques—that’s benign politicolegaleze for torture. Alter actually says in the article that Eric Holder the US Attorney General is wrong for assigning a federal prosecutor to delve into the matter, which I wholeheartedly agree with and have said so in previous blogs and to my wife, when she’ll listen. My criticism of Alter is that I think he added gratuitous spice to the article in order to sell it to Newsweek. Controversy sells magazines, therefore the tweaks that were sure to draw applause and consternation at the same time. If you didn’t have an opportunity to read what I’m referring to here they are, followed by my consternation-revealing remarks. And I quote:

          “Two words jumped out at me from Cheney’s Fox News interview last week. Chris Wallace asked, “So even in those cases where CIA interrogators went beyond the specific legal authorization, you’re OK with it?” Cheney answered, “I am.” Alter says in his article to that, “That unadorned ‘I am’ was terrifying.”

          Please, Mr. Alter, terrifying? I think not. There are many of us who believe Cheney simply puts words and actions, no matter how unpopular, to how we feel. I do not engage in conversations promoting the torture of known terrorists that may have information critical to saving the lives of innocent people. However, have no doubt, if it were my responsibility to save one innocent I’d torture until I got verifiable information. Call me immoral, some would. Call me a hero, some would do that too but be assured I wouldn’t indulge in debate over the morality of such an act while waiting for a bomb to explode. Neither would Cheney. What would you call Cheney, Mr. Alter, if he authorized, condoned, encouraged, participated in the torture of someone who had foreknowledge of an event that would most certainly injure or even kill one of your family members?

          Secondly, Mr. Alter said, “As much as I’d like to see Cheney frog-marched out of Jackson Hole and sent to prison…” My problem with this remark is Alter’s apparent lack of respectful decorum when speaking of a former elected official who spent the better part of his life serving the USA. And frog-marched out of Jackson Hole, wouldn’t that be humiliating and possibly torturous? Many legal scholars as well as political ethicists would find that extremely unreasonable and bordering on criminal. Frog-marched, that sounds terrifying.