Friday, May 15, 2009

A Dire Dilemma

Lord Strunsky once said, when he faced a conundrum, "We're on the horns of a dilemma, my dear. Only thing to do -- throw sand in the bull's face."

This adage was much in my mind when I took a call on my secure line from Michelle Obama. She was fretting about Barack's response to all the torture stuff (actual pictures) becoming public, particularly after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit dismissed the government's security concerns as vague, and that the public's right to know came first. Barack then quashed this, on the grounds that it would inflame anti-American feeling and lead to even more danger for the troops abroad.

"Well Michelle," I said, "you have reason to fret. What we have here is a lose-lose situation. If he doesn't allow the pictures to be released, the civil libertarians will be outraged. If he does release them, his statements about inflaming opinion and upping the danger ante for the troops will be all too true."

"But surely a few pictures --"

"Not a few. Hundreds. And some make what was earlier published from Abu Ghraib look like illustrations from Anne of Green Gables."

"Simone, just how do you know this? Barack, from what he tells me, hasn't seen them all."

"Because I'm in The Trade, and it's my business to know such things. But some others know as well. Why do you think Dick Cheney is running about the country, squawking like a headless chicken that torture really works? Or why Don Rumsfeld is applying for visas all over the place? They are very scared, Michelle, and they bloody well should be. If those pictures are released, along with documents that indicate that they both sanctioned and ordered that interrogations be carried out in that manner, they're very likely to wind behind bars for the rest of their lives. Hell, they might even be turned over to The Hague for crimes against humanity. The thing could actually reach George W., although that might be a bridge too far. Office of the Presidency and all that."

"But," said Michelle, "waterboarding doesn't sound all that horrific. Well, it is, but --"

"Michelle, you are entering one of the few areas you know nothing about. That's a compliment, by the way. You see, the problem with torture is who you've got. And this brings up a little axiom: 'There are old spies, and there are bold spies. But there are no old, bold spies." If a spy is captured, likely as not it will be someone young who has acted rashly; that is, he or she has made a mistake. So when they are interrogated in what I will call an 'all out' fashion, they will very shortly tell everything they know. Everything. Believe me, I know."

"How --"

"Because I've experienced interrogation. Twice. Two errors, and two extremely painful results. And I told everything I knew, although the second time I managed to last for three days. Got commended for that. But we are entering classified stuff here. Suffice it to say that Barack faces a real problem. You see, and I really shouldn't be telling you this, some of the interrogation techniques employed by the contractors sub-let to the C.I.A. involved children, young boys and girls. It is, by the by, to the credit of the C.I.A. that they wanted no part of this."

"Oh, my God."

"Yes, an unholy mess."

"But when Barack asks me what he should do, what should I advise? Not that my advice is always taken."

I thought for a long moment, then replied.

You've heard of Marshall McLuhan?"

"The medium is the message guy?"

"Yes. Well, Dr. McLuhan also made the point that we live in a world where there are more Xerox machines than shredders. And he wrote that before the Internet. So I think those pictures will come out, probably in some country like Australia. And he'd better be prepared to react.

"He's good at that. Tends to land on his feet."

"Good to know. And when all is said and done, there is something to hold on to."

"What?"

"A statement with which I know he will be familiar. Written by Justice Louis Brandeis: "Sunlight is said to be the best disinfectant."

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