Pushing Rope: What Enhanced interrogation Techniques Look LIke

John McCain has been on his self-rightous soapbox for so long that one wonders if he really believes his own bullshit. McCain has billed himself as a straight-talker unyielding to political influence. Perhaps the self-professed Maverick can explain why he voted against banning the CIA's use of waterboarding.

McCain said that while he remains opposed to waterboarding, "We always supported allowing the CIA to use extra measures."

We? Polls show the majority of the American people no longer support torture. The television show 24 is having a difficult time getting guest stars and ratings are tanking. Even the world of make believe doesn't support torture.

McCain's story of being a Vietnam POW is well-known. The Maverick has gotten on every talk show to condemn the United State's use of the Orwellian-sounding enhanced techniques. McCain comes within sniffing distance of the White House and now he "always supported" torture. Did McCain have a sudden change of heart and think drowning people is a neat idea or was the Maverick just using torture as an opportunity to cynically get face time on television? Please tell us Senator. You can't be both for and against waterboarding. Even President Bush has shown more techniques in his heartless defense of torture.

McCain's fellow Maverick Joe Lieberman channels Jack Bauer to defend the indefensible.

"If we've got somebody that we think can tell us where a nuclear bomb is planted in an American city, then I want the president to be able to authorize that to be used," he said of waterboarding, a method that makes an interrogation subject feel he is drowning.

Lieberman added that while waterboarding is a "terrifying experience," the victim "is in no real danger" because "the impact is psychological."

The second part is telling. Lieberman thinks people don't get hurt from waterboarding and other enhanced methods. The image to the left is from Abu Ghraib. We see that a man is strapped to be waterboarded.

The death of Manadel Jamadi occured Abu Ghraib. He was hung like a raw meat and bleeded to death. Eight Navy SEALs received administrative punishment for Jamadi's murders. The same level of punishment for someone inproperly filing paperwork. The infamous Charles Graner and Lynndie England posed photos over Jamadi's body. Jamadi's interrogation was supervised by CIA operative Mark Swanner. A man who did his best to cover up his less than patriot handywork Paris Hilton did more jail time than Swanner.