The very worst thing about the failure to prosecute torture is, simply,

[Jackpine Radical]

that it legitimizes its use on us. Any time American POWs were tortured in the past, it was done by outlaw regimes. The use of torture is one of the behavioral hallmarks of an outlaw regime. After this, any nation who chooses to torture Americans, for whatever reason, can say that they are doing nothing that we ourselves have not already done.

We allowed ourselves to descend into the depths occupied by North Korea and Pol Pot's Cambodia. It remains to be seen whether we intend to take up permanent residence in those depths.

I do not believe that President Obama, having a decent regard for the opinions of humankind, will allow us to remain in the depths of disgrace. I trust that he will elevate us once again to the ranks of the respectable nations of the world. And he can only do that by allowing the vigorous criminal pursuit of those who soiled our name during the eight years of madness that we just survived.

[Dr. Strange]

1. I disagree.

Look, torture is either right or wrong. If people from group A torture people from group B, then it's wrong. If group B turns around and elects Cheney president and Cheney institutes a program of torture on the people from group A, then that's wrong too. Once you accept the idea that one group's use of torture legitimizes its use on that group, all Cheney & Bush have to do is find a case of Muslims torturing others (of which there are plenty) and viola! waterboarding is now justified.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. I'm not actually arguing that torture legitimizes more torture.

I'm saying that our use of trture puts us into the company of outlaw nations, that deprives us of the moral high ground we once held. It doesn't make a Pol Pot virtuous, it erodes the distinction between us and him.

[Dr. Strange]

7. The problem with that is...

when have we ever held the moral high ground? If Evil Person wanted to justify torturing Americans, they could point to what Bush did. But if Bush hadn't allowed torture, would Evil Person no longer feel free to use torture? No, they would just point to something else in our history (Native Americans, slavery, the World Wars, Viet Nam, etc).
The fundamental issue we have to address is whether we believe torture is acceptable or not, regardless of how any other country or group views it.

[SpiralHawk]

5. I disagree with your disagree

That is to say, torture is clearly wrong every which way. No argument about that. But to me it seemed the point the OP was making was more along the lines of, other nations who choose to torture US citizens will now freely, perhaps even gleefully, point to the Crusade of Terror that Commander AWOL
Bush and Dickie 'Five-Military-Deferments' Cheney and the other Republicon Chickenhawks unleashed upon the planet.

"If the Republicon Homelanders (Americans) can do it," other nations will say, "then it's just perfectly fine for us to tOrTuRe the everlovin bejabbers out of American citizens."

The republicon homelanders have given EVERYONE a pretext (perverted and phony though it may be) to embrace their fear-and-hate-driven republicon 'FaMilY VaLues.'

[Sal Minella]

6. You're not disagreeing -- you're talking about something else entirely.

Of course torture is wrong. That's a given.

JR is saying we must now expect to be treated like an outlaw regime because we are behaving (or have behaved) like an outlaw regime.

We cherished our international position on the moral high ground and the Cheney-Bush-Rumsfeld-Rove-Gonzo-Yoo administration has thrown us into the moral depths, leaving Obama's administration the thankless task of trying to restore us to some semblance of decent reputation.

[Sal Minella]

8. dupe - posting glitch

[sufrommich]

3. I've made this same argument many times. If you accept it as used

by our government, be prepared to expose our soldiers to the same. You can't have it both ways.

[napi21]

4. Yes that is the primary reason, but there's another reason nearly

as important. To prevent any future administrations from doing the same stuff! I'm positive Obama will not torture, nor will he flaunt our laws, but what about 20-30 years from now? The hostory of what the Shrub admin. got away with will still exist, and like Cheney, Rummy, etc. some of the people who were in the Shrub admin. will likely still be in politics. If their criminal deeds go unpunished now, someone will try them again in the future!

[glitch]

9. Cancer has to be eradicated and the system cleaned or it grows and ultimately kills.

We clean up our system or we die from it.