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Gov. Sarah Plain is back in the spotlight tonight. She's giving her first speech this year in the lower 48. That has people talking about whether she'll run for the White House in 2012. Do you think she should? Share your thoughts below.
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@ Erica - Love that David Gergen and Jeff Toobin are in the house!
CIA released documents will prove to be a huge mistake.
Obama will regret it.
I think Bush should be prosecuted! No one is above the LAW!
AC,
The tactics mentioned on your program, including waterboarding, are tactics that are trained by the US Military to use in extreme measures. Soldiers are put to the test using these tactics and have to be able to handle these pressures before they are allowed to go into battle.
Torture typically equate to physical abuse. Phsycological warfare is much different and these tactics have been accepted since WWI.
From your report, torture (physical injury) was not present.
Erica...how can you stand all the amazing-ness of David, Jeff and AC? All you need now is the Velsh-man...but then the cameras might not be able to capture all the awesomeness! 🙂
Yes, torture is cruel but if that is what it takes to find out information that will protect innocent people then it is a necessary evil. Example: if the US was holding prisoners who had insight into upcoming terrorists attacks then I say do what you have to find out the facts so that they can be prevented.
Remember who these prisioners were and what they were planning to do against the U.S. These were not nice people. I agree with David Gergen you have to put things in perspective. It is easy to critizice now 8 years later.
@Mike..."We’ll never know how many attacks were prevented.”:
If any. This comment simply supports the Bush administration scare tactics and fabricated hype. Sounds like you support torture.
David Gergen is totally wrong about the only attack on the White House.
Remember Dolly Madison fleeing with the Washinton portrait?
The British in vaded and burned Washington.
What is wrong with the USA ?
It is so stupid to release the CIA torture techniques
All countries have 'torture' techniques. But they are smart enuf not to admit it.
The Islamists cut off hands and heads daily but you guys never report it.
Our interrogations are what saves us.
By handcuffing the USA, what do you want, another 911 ?
Jay
Canada
Of course George Bush is lying.
Just look at what is in the memos.
They knew they were torturing.
@David Gergen — I do believe the White House came under attack in 1814 when the British “burned Washington” — however, I will give you that September 11, 2001 was the first time in our lifetimes, that the White House was under attack — (sorry, I couldn’t let that slide!)
The US isn't the only ones torturing people. The way you all are talking you act like we are!
Cindy..Ga.
I have a lot of respect for David Gergen. But I strongly disagree that the sanctioning of torture by the Executive Branch of the United States government is "understandable."
Torture is possibly a sad reality of interigation. I do not believe we crossed the line. How torturous it must have been to be in an airplane on 9/11 crashing into a building on 9/11 or jumping out a window of a World Trade Tower to avoid burning to death. Now that is torture.
Yes David Gergen, Bush was lying when he said we don't torture. Bill Clinton was lying. Bush was lying.
Tactics used for gaining information should remain unknown to our adversaries. Select military members are subjected to all these practices (mentioned) in preparation to prevent disclosure if captured. I think both acts are hurtful to the nation (action and disclosure).
Hi Anderson great to see you back, hi Erica, everyone. I do feel the the US and Mexico partnering more closely will begin to stem the violence along the border. The dialogue at this point seems already further along.
What about job losses in Mexico due to Nafta? Does that contribute to the problem?
Everything on that list is torture. Yes, first admin to have to deal w the 9-11 terrorist attacks, but the Geneva Convention expressly prohibits even mistreatment of prisoner of wars.
"What is lying?"
Hmmm....
I was raised that there were things that others did but we would never do because we were better than that. And that our country was better than that. Because we stand for something
@Erica, tells you how much of a geek I am that the first follow I had was CNN....I've been plugging it all the time at school!
Oaky — this whole torture thing is really unsettling — if the “US doesn’t torture” why is the CIA trained in these tactics?
The Attorney General (that signed the memos) needs to be prosecuted!
Erica...he passed CNN! SO PLZ join now! lol
@Cara, very good point. haha that way Obama would win reelection by the largest margin ever seen in a presidential election! he could make history again!
Susan Boyle is much like Paul Potts who back in 2007 did the same thing and knocked Simon out with a beautiful rendition of "Nessun Dorma."
I hate to admit it but waterboarding is torture...
@ Erica..Ashton has passed CNNbrk!
Cindy..Ga.
@Erica Kutcher has taken you – come on guys step it up!
Why dont we give George Bush a call and ask if he will respond?
well i think we need to ask the people that lost love ones on 9/11.
you need some of the tactics to get the info you need to protect america.
I agree with J. Toobin – those techniques are certainly torture! But I also agree with D. Gergen (as always). Not to whitewash what was done, but I'm proud of my country that the memos were released.
Oddly enough, I don't have much passion for prosecuting the participants. They were working under orders. While it doesn't absolve what was done, I think we'd be doing a disservice by charging them with a crime for following orders.
It's a complex issue, that's for sure.
I think that the Obama administration's decision to release these memos now is nothing more than a stunt to distract from the mess he has going on right now. Bottom line, whatever you may think, there was not one attack post-9/11 under the watch of President Bush and for that the American people should be grateful.
I am hiding from Sarah Palin...why does she keep coming back here?!
Heeeey Yalll! Happy Thursday 🙂
Are American troops also torturing terrorist at Guantánamo Bay too?
Dear Anderson, I am not surprised at anything the Bush/Cheney Regime did in the name of their warped sense of justice. I am breathing a sigh of relief that Pres. Obama is now trying to repair all of the damage done in the eight years that those two were in office. Shame on them and the entire Republican Party for turning a blind eye and condoning their behaviors!
Obama is wrong on this one. We need to go after those that approved torture and those that committed it. It is horrid to think this happened in our names! No provocation justifies it and we will not set it right with the world by just, "moving on." We MUST hold people accountable!
In my opinion any tactic that saves a US life is worth it. Does everyone have short term memory loss and forgotten that only a few years ago we could watch video of terrorist cutting heads off.
I agree with Obama's decision but I'm sorry it had to come out that way. This is a political problem and Congress could have stood in Bush's way. They didn't.
Hi Anderson! Lets take a moment to reflect on this: Torture, according to the United Nations Convention Against Torture, is:“ any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental.............
Good Thursday Cooper, Hill, Gergen, contributers, correspondents, panel, and staff.
I’m quite glad that Toobin was on tonight – I always appreciate his lawful explanation and insight. And Gergen as well. I always love to hear his opinions.
I would love to know who actually decided that to use these tactics on detainees. Was the order specificly given by a Bush adminstration member or did someone just ok it?
How come we cannot keep documents secret anymore? Torture is needed!! We have the right to do whatever we need to be keep our country safe. Terrorist do not hold talks or summits. Their religion says kill all that are non-belivers!! Torture and get the info we can to stay safe!!
Welcome back Anderson, glad to have you back. Thanks for talking about the torture memos. We are opening up all the secrets that were withheld from us over these past 7 1/2 years.
Gergen- I undersand fear but our leaders are not suppose to act out of fear they have to remain level headed and make the best choices. No excuse for torture.
I went to Sere school as a service member and all that you deacribe was done to me as training. This is nothing compared to the torture that you can download on you tube that the men that this is done to have authorized.
Poor President Bush and Vice President Cheney. They were so scared that they decided to turn into mindless bullies and break our own laws?
I think that this torture has to be abolished. It is horrible to think that things like this have ever happened under the eyes of the government. I wonder, though, what law allowed torture to go on for so long without reform until just recently?
Hi everyone! Great to have Mr Gergen and Mr Toubin tonight. On the issue of the prosecution of these people, as abhorrant as these techniques are, weren't these CIA operatives directed to do this?
CIA torture tactics are cruel. I think they still use some of the torture tactics in taking out information somewhere. Just nobody talks about it.
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Terrorists are inhuman. Torture is probably what will work with them and what they deserve.
Good evening Anderson. Welcome back...Great to see David Gergen and Jeffrey Toobin in the studio!