Consider this scenario: You're in the position of a terrorist detained by the intelligence service of the country whose citizens you were trying with all your might to slaughter. You are given the choice either to be tortured in order to provide information on the plans of your terrorist associates or be executed.
If you're tortured no permanent physical damage will be done to you, and moreover, you will have complete control over how much pain you'll have to endure. You know that as soon as you're forthcoming with the information that will save thousands of innocent lives the torture will immediately cease. If, on the other hand, you're executed quite possibly your spouse and children will be executed with you as may many of your innocent friends. Which would be worse in your mind, the torture or the execution?
I ask the question because it illustrates the hypocrisy of many of those who've expressed moral indignation in the wake of the Democrats' report on CIA "enhanced interrogation" practices in the wake of 9/11. Much of the Progressive left is livid that the CIA and, by extension, the Bush administration were practicing things like sleep deprivation, threats, uncomfortable positions, water boarding (on three people), and something called rectal hydration (don't ask).
Meanwhile, the Progressives are silent about their own leader in the White House carrying out a policy of drone strikes on terrorists that have killed hundreds, if not thousands, of innocents along with the intended targets. Some of these strikes have even killed American citizens.
I'm not criticizing the drone strikes, but I'd like those who are so outraged by what the CIA did in order to prevent another 9/11, and who are so nonchalant about what President Obama is doing, to answer one simple question: Which is worse, the infliction of pain which produces no lasting physical effects to speak of, or the infliction of death on not only terrorists but also their families?
If you're outraged by the former but haven't had much to say about the latter then some of us would like to know why.