I know this sounds mostly like politics, but the truth aspect impressed me, and critical thinking after all, wants to strip off the garbage and get at the truth. So here goes:
Bush wants the CIA exempt from a ban on torture. Taking this stance gives his opponents obvious fodder for criticism. I mean, what non-barbaric person wouldn't be opposed to torture, right?
His choices were:
1) Join most of Europes governments and lie that we, like them would never use torture
2) honestly accede that torture may be have to be used
My guess is that we already have stopped cities from being dirty bombed or even being nuked, this isn't going to be made public (in the near term). If they used torture to stop such an event, I don't have a problem with that. It is even good to have saved the lives of the people who were opposed to the use of torture to save their lives. They are whacked out, but probably useful for getting my burgers.
PS --- Bush has now surpassed Clinton as the greatest embarrasment for a president we ever had
---Al
