Why The Bush Administration Used Torture

I posted Levin's comments on my blog along with my own comments and I was stunned at the traffic for that day.

Cheney to the chagrin of many Republicans, and to most, but not all Democrats, will remain on the political landscape for as long as he can. The man has been around the political block a few times, this is his thing. He goes way back and he's been active every step of the way. Think back to '74 when he and Rumsfeld ran the country the first time, for President Ford. He entered the VP in 2000 far more primed than Bush. Cheney and Rumsfeld were the neocon point men ushering in the neocon years of 2000 to 2006.

Cheney will remain a fixture at neocon home bases - the A.E.I. and the Heritage Foundation. There are also many other neocon off shoots which will remain in the USA. They are itching to get back into the game with the same degree of power they held under George W. Bush.

Off the cuff, this is my latest opinion on what gives with torture and Bush and all.

First off, all these guys know that waterboarding is torture. Nobody is that stupid to think otherwise. They need to maintain that "enhanced interrogation" and waterboarding are not torture because its a fundamental building block for the Bush administration's edifice. If they admit its all torture, what remains becomes even more vulnerable to political power loss.

So why did they do this. Several reasons really but the authoritarian personality which was completely endemic under the Bush administration is the fundamental reason. The authoritarian personality is a special thing. Here the ability to project one's own inadequacies and fears is unparalleled, and the empathetic qualities are at best in infantile form. We see this now when we hear that empathy is nothing but nonsense with Sotomajor-gate and the chant is coming from the same authoritarian figures of old.

So, still why did they do this knowing full well that it was a violation of the Geneva Conventions and all of that. Recall that Petraeus himself even said as much recently source. Here is my new subjective point. They did this because they thought they had their backs covered by Rove. Yes, it was Rove.

Recall that Rove was going to give the country a hundred years of Republican domination in politics. They thought they had their rear ends covered because no one would ever come along to challenge them on torture, simple as that. They could not foresee the major losses of 2006 and the chilling quality Bush and all had on America. After 9-11, they thought they had a lock on power that would last as far as the eye could see. Didn't quite work out that way, did it.

So now, the political landscape has flipped. Cheney may be realizing that he is in a little trouble with his legacy and he may be facing a legal fight as well. Bush is unconcerned, he is untouchable.

Cheney and all have to maintain the no torture mantra, anything else will set them back even further in their ultimate aim which is to resume ultimate power.

The only possible answer to all of this will be the political will to undertake an extensive legal investigation, a summary investigation as it were. Anything less will leave the door open for more torture and neocon power plays in the future.

Right now, the neocons are winning the battle as Obama is not playing hardball, big mistake.

By Jim Sande, who blogs at Sande