To the Editor:
Re “Obama Reversal on Abuse Photos” (front page, May 14):
While release of the photos depicting torture by United States military personnel may “further inflame anti-American opinion” and endanger troops, the torture itself is what truly inflames our enemies and allies.
Anything less than full disclosure endangers all Americans, for only by fully confronting the extent of these immoral and illegal practices can we properly assess what it will take to prevent future administrations and military personnel from weakening our legal and ethical footing and endangering our soldiers.
Further, we need to stop discussing whether torture gets results. Whether it does or not, it is immoral, period, and should never be considered.
John Williams
New York, May 14, 2009
Note from KBJ: Here's the situation. John Williams's family has been kidnapped by terrorists, one of whom has been taken into custody. He won't talk. Authorities call John Williams to ask whether they should torture the suspect to get him to disclose the location of Williams's family. How many seconds does it take before he says, "Do it!" I say one. So much for an absolute ban on torture.
