A little Double-you

In a KSLA News 12 Investigation: We examine the seemingly daily headlines on alleged torture during the Bush administration. And much to my surprise, the practice of torture has some allies, or advocates, right here at home.

First let's examine just the latest headlines. On Thursday night's broadcast of the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC, a constitutional expert called on President Barack Obama to - quote - "do the right thing" by appointing a special prosecutor to investigate claims of torture by the Bush administration.

Then, there's the as-yet released Justice Department report, likely to recommend disciplinary action, possibly even disbarment against former Deputy Attorney General Jay Bybee, now a U.S. Federal Appeals Court Judge and John Yoo, a former Assistant Deputy Attorney General. They helped author the so-called 'torture memos,' which provided the legal justification for "enhanced interrogation techniques," which many now simply call torture.

Law Professor Jonathan Turley also took aim at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Late in the week, the CIA released documents confirming Pelosi attended a number of briefings on the matter, yet never spoke out. In fairness however, what she was told 'exactly' remains in doubt.

Now we turn our attention to the surprising local advocates of torture. They include a former prisoner of war and the former commander of the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB and its B-52 fleet. Retired Air Force Brigadier General Peyton Cole had worked very closely with Former Vice President Dick Cheney, who has now taken a very public stance in support for harsh interrogations.

"He (Cheney) was not a lone ranger in this operation at all, like some of the media would like to have you believe," insisted General Cole. Cole remains fiercely loyal to the Mr. Cheney, nearly two decades since working for him when Cheney served as U.S. Defense Secretary.

General Cole later went on to command the 2nd Bomb Wing, and has watched intently in recent months as the debate over whether to prosecute torture cases continues. And critics contend it all leads right to Cole's old boss. And Cole is the first to tell you Cheney likely signed-off on those questionable interrogations and supports Cheney and his decisions.

The general then explained something about David Addington, Cheney's right-hand man through the years. An attorney and then later Chief of Staff in the last few years in the Office of the Vice President, Gen. Cole said Addington, and others close to him, are too shrewd to ever go to jail. "I think they will have insulated themselves from prosecution six ways from Sunday," added Gen. Cole.

As for the practice of waterboarding? "Anybody that is subjected to that form, or that technique, will feel that they are going to suffocate," descibed Cole. He recalled S.E.R.E. torture training, mandatory for pilots, for much of his education on 'enhanced techniques.'

When asked that his description of waterboarding sure sounds like torture, General Cole replied: "I don't think anybody's died yet from waterboarding." And there's the rub. How 'do' you define torture. It now appears to be among the defining questions about whether to prosecute the authors of the so-called torture memos, not to mention the interrogators.

One local veteran of the war in Afghanistan said he cannot show his face or give his name because he's afraid of prosecution for how he and others treated prisoners of war, especially in the early months of combat. In fact, the veteran said it was quote, 'anything goes' at least until the media arrived. And, he said he feels no guilt whatsoever.

But Paul Murray did speak with us on camera. Now the owner of Shooters USA, an indoor shooting range in Bossier City, Murray recalled getting captured by Iraqi forces. "I got pushed around a little bit but that was about it."

Yet despite his ordeal, Murray said he's firmly against prosecuting DOJ attornies or interrogators, even if they engaged in torture, and even if they went beyond what was approved in those so-called torture memos.

Murray's message to civil rights activists, along with a growing list of others calling for a full investigation: "Pretty much, 'do you like your job and where you're at in the country you live in? People before you have paid that price and use those tactics to get the information to help you get there." And now amount of evidence to the contrary will change his mind.

According to a recent Gallup poll, a slim majority of Americans want Bush-era interrogations investigated. But ironically, a majority also said the use of those harsh techniques on terrorism suspects was justified. As one source told me this debate boils down to a battle for America's soul.
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