The New "Moral Clarity"? Posted by Shadi Hamid

These pictures of Jose Padilla are disgusting (via Andrew). So much for the Bush administration’s “moral clarity.” For some, “morality” is apparently is so blinding that the ends always justify the means, no matter how horrific those means are. Liberals should be making the case very clearly that any administration that endorses torture is not and cannot be a moral one. It is disappointing that Democratic leaders aren’t making a bigger deal of the torture issue, the one issue which does, in fact, threaten the very moral foundations of our country more than anything else. Whatever Jose Padilla is being accused of (apparently not much), that doesn't justify making the man into a mental vegetable. We are talking about the destruction of another human being. From a recent New York Times article:

“During questioning, he often exhibits facial tics, unusual eye movements and contortions of his body,” Mr. Patel said. “The contortions are particularly poignant since he is usually manacled and bound by a belly chain when he has meetings with counsel.”

Let's also keep in mind that Padilla is a US citizen, one who is, presumably, subject to the conditions and guarantees of his Constitution. Of course, the Bush administration cares little about liberty at home, while talking a lot about it abroad (and, even then, it fails to follow up).

So liberals must say it without hesitation: we will not allow the fight against terror to cloud our moral judgment. Under no circumstance will be excuse, explain away, or justify torture. This is non-freakin'-negotiable. But maybe the Dems are afraid of saying this because they don’t want to be “soft” on national security. Well, if that’s the case, then we should be ashamed of ourselves. If this article on Padilla doesn’t provoke a sense of moral outrage in us, then we can throw our god-forsaken “morality” out the window.

In hindsight, I find it quite baffling that we impeached a president for getting a blow job. Today, we have a president who has actively supported and facilitated torture in the name of freedom and liberty, a form of hypocrisy which is an insult to every man and woman in uniform putting his or her life on the line. Which is worse? It’s not like Clinton even had sexual intercourse. The same cannot be said for quite a few current and former Republican congressmen. This is the new “moral clarity” for you. Enjoy.

Comments

[Don Bacon]

The following 12 Democratic senators voted for the Military Commissions Act of 2006

SD Johnson, Tim
LA Landrieu, Mary
NJ Lautenberg, Frank
CT Lieberman, Joseph
NJ Menendez, Robert
NE Nelson, Ben
FL Nelson, Bill
AR Pryor, Mark
AR Pryor, Mark
WV Rockefeller, John
CO Salazar, Ken
MI Stabenow, Debbie Ann

The following 34 Democratic representatives voted for the Military Commissions Act of 2006

NJ-1 Andrews, Robert
GA-12 Barrow, John
IL-8 Bean, Melissa
GA-2 Bishop, Sanford
OK-2 Boren, Dan
IA-3 Boswell, Leonard
FL-2 Boyd, F.
OH-13 Brown, Sherrod
KY-6 Chandler, Ben
AL-5 Cramer, Robert
TX-28 Cuellar, Henry
AL-7 Davis, Artur
TN-4 Davis, Lincoln
TX-17 Edwards, Thomas
NC-2 Etheridge, Bob
TN-9 Ford, Harold
TN-6 Gordon, Barton
SD-0 Herseth, Stephanie
NY-27 Higgins, Brian
PA-17 Holden, Tim
GA-3 Marshall, James
UT-2 Matheson, Jim
NC-7 McIntyre, Mike
LA-3 Melancon, Charles
ME-2 Michaud, Michael
KS-3 Moore, Dennis
MN-7 Peterson, Collin
ND-0 Pomeroy, Earl
AR-4 Ross, Mike
CO-3 Salazar, John
GA-13 Scott, David
SC-5 Spratt, John
TN-8 Tanner, John
MS-4 Taylor, Gene

[Don Bacon]

Substitute Senator Carper, Thomas (DE) for one of the Mark Pryors

[Amy1022]

Such treatment of political prisoners is unacceptable...so is all the conflict and fear mongering happening in this war on terror. Dems may look a little 'soft' on the terror and national security issue, but some forward thinking Dems are looking at the deeper, root causes to global instability. The National Security Strategy of the White House states, "a world where some live in comfort and plenty, while half of the human race lives on less than $2 a day, is neither just nor stable."

[Lisa]

ya shadi,

i wonder about all this moral - not moral things associated with politicians and leaders. it's a big word to throw around. isn't it? how can you judge who among them are moral and who are not? doesn't judgement belong only to God? it's not a hip thing to write in liberal circles, but things are commplex. that's just how the world is. aren't things much more mysterious than that--- things that seem at first intended for good aims, can cause huge suffering, and vice versa.

also, why should liberals specifically be more moral on a certain issue that others? why are you speaking to liberals, why don't you just speak to people. if you believe something-- tell -people- that. why couch it in political terms of parties and identities and all that.

[kamil]

There are certain things in life related to smoking that simply cannot :)
parça kontör
parça kontör bayiliği
parça kontör bayilik

[wow gold]

I like to earn the World of Warcraft Gold very much, I want to have a lot of warcraft gold in the game, i do not satisfy the old equipment and so i have to buy wow gold to buy the new equipment to make me strong. If i am very strong in the game i can get some cheap wow gold as the rewards in the game. So i like the game very much.

[buy Tales Of Pirates Gold]

I am so happy to get some Tales Of Pirates gold and the Tales Of Pirates money is given by my close friend who tells me that the cheap Tales Of Pirates gold is the basis to enter into the game.

[gw gold]

I hope i can get GuildWars Gold in low price.
i buy Guild Wars Gold for you.

[Runes of Magic Gold]

Once I played Rom Gold, I did not know how to get strong, someone told me that you must have Rom Gold. He gave me some Runes of Magic Gold.

[twelvesky Gold]

she like quiet and twelvesky Gold. she always read books in the library 12Sky Silver Coins.