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176 Officers And Generals Urge Trump In New Letter Not To Pursue Torture

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Jonah Bennett Contributor
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A total of 176 retired officers, generals and admirals have written a letter to GOP President-elect Donald Trump, urging him not to reinstate the use of torture.

In a letter dated Jan. 6, these retired military officials are asking Trump not to pursue past promises to bring back waterboarding and other practices that are “a hell of a lot worse.”

These retired flag officers, among them 33 four-star generals and admirals, touted the fact that together they have more than 6,000 years of experience leading men and women and defending the ideals of the United States.

“We know from experience that U.S. national security policies are most effective when they uphold those ideals,” the letter reads. “For these reasons, we are concerned about statements made during the campaign about the use of
torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of detainees in U.S. custody. The use of waterboarding or any so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques” is unlawful under domestic and international law.”

According to the retired military officers, Congress has also acted in a bipartisan manner to prohibit torture, as legislators also deem the practice unnecessary.

“Based on our experience— and that of our nation’s top interrogators, backed by the latest science—we know that lawful, rapport-based interrogation techniques are the most effective way to elicit actionable intelligence,” the letter continues. “Torture is also counterproductive because it undermines our national security. It increases the risks to our troops, hinders cooperation with allies, alienates populations whose support the United States needs in the struggle against terrorism, and provides a propaganda tool for extremists who wish to do us harm.”

Although Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, has counseled him against the use of torture, Trump still seems to have a soft spot for hard punishment.

There’s a widely-held notion that Mattis persuaded Trump out of his previously held position on torture, but a full reading of the transcript that came out of a meeting Trump had with The New York Times reveals exactly the opposite.

“I was surprised [by his answer], because he’s known as being like the toughest guy,” Trump said, referring to Mattis’ view that torture doesn’t work as intended.

“And when he said that, I’m not saying it changed my mind.”

“Look, we have people that are chopping off heads and drowning people in steel cages and we’re not allowed to waterboard,” Trump added. “But I’ll tell you what, I was impressed by that answer. It certainly does not — it’s not going to make the kind of a difference that maybe a lot of people think. If it’s so important to the American people, I would go for it. I would be guided by that.”

Trump’s refusal to disavow the use of torture is exactly why these retired military figures, including Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal and Gen. John R. Allen, have come out of the woodwork to encourage him to do so.

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