Bush/Cheney and "Verschaerfte Vernehmung"

I continue to be appalled at the number of pundits and GOP operatives who act as if all of the horrors of torture under the Bush/Cheney should just be swept under the rug and ignored as we "move along." It is precisely this attitude that allows illegal conduct and war crimes to happen in the first place. Stated differently, bad things happen when good people do nothing. True, doing nothing may seem easier and be more politically expedient in the short term, but long term the cost is far greater than anticipated. One need only look at Nazi Germany which came into being because too many were content just move along and close their eyes. Hopefully, Barack Obama will come to realize that in order to redeem the soul of America, those who authorized illegal torture and war crimes must be prosecuted. That includes George Bush and Dick Cheney/

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Andrew Sullivan has an excellent post that looks at the parallels between what Bush and Cheney authorized and the torture techniques used by Hitler's torture teams. The similarities are chilling as is the "following orders" excuse being offered up to protect CIA personnel who inflicted the torture. Here are some highlights:

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The Case Of Richard Wilhelm Hermann Bruns, Et Al.Longtime Dish readers will know what I'm referring to. It is a famous war crime prosecution against Nazi officers in occupied Norway, and the trial took place in 1946. The men were accused of using "enhanced interrogation" techniques - or in the original German "verschaerfte Vernehmung" - against captives.

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the Nazis ensured that doctors were present at all times so that they could monitor the captives' response to torture and make sure they didn't die or suffer visible permanent injuries that could embarrass the regime in public (see the Bradbury and Bybee memos for the Bush equivalent). Notice the careful measurement of how many times someone can be beaten (another Cheney innovation). And notice that we are not talking about waterboarding - something even the Nazis excluded from their "enhanced interrogation" methods. In the case of Bruns, et al., this translated to these charges:

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On 19th December, 1942, Bruns was present at the interrogation of a sick Norwegian. Leg screws were fastened to his legs and he was beaten with various implements. Later he was thrown unconscious into a cellar, where he remained for four days before receiving medical attention.

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Between 1942 and 1945, Bruns used the method of "verschärfte Vernehmung" on 11 Norwegian citizens. This method involved the use of various implements of torture, cold baths and blows and kicks in the face and all over the body. Most of the prisoners suffered for a considerable time from the injuries received during those interrogations. *

Between 1942 and 1945, Schubert gave 14 Norwegian prisoners "verschärfte Vernehmung," using various instruments of torture and hitting them in the face and over the body. Many of the prisoners suffered for a considerable time from the effects of injuries they received.

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Now check out the defense against the charge of war crimes: All three defendants appealed to the Supreme Court. Their appeal was based on the following arguments :

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(a) That the acts of torture which the defendants had committed were permitted under International Law as reprisals against the illegal Military Organisation whose activities were at variance with International Law.
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(b) That the acts were carried out on superior orders and that the defendants acted under duress.
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(c) That the acts of torture in no case resulted in death. Most of the injuries inflicted were slight and did not result in permanent disablement.
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Do these defenses sound familiar? They failed in court. And while modern Americans debate whether we can even use the word 'torture' with respect to these techniques, previous generations, closer to the reality of war and torture than we are, had no qualms. The punishment for these crimes was the death penalty.

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As hard as it may be for some to accept, Bush and Cheney and their minions who concocted the "torture memos" need to be tried and, if guilty as It appears, convicted and punished. Nothing less will clear the reputation and name of the USA. Naturally, the GOP and Christianists will scream in outrage, but it must be done.