In the aftermath of the termination of Osama bin Laden, Rummy is justifying the use of water boarding as a valuable tool to gain actionable intelligence.
And Lawrence Wilkerson, the former chief of Staff to Colin Powell, has this reply.
Let Me Waterboard Donald Rumsfeld and Then We'll See if He Says It's Torture or Not
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WILKERSON: Well my former boss Colin Powell recently said that Donald Rumsfeld was delusional and deceptive and he could prove both points. My former boss is right. And on this issue Donald Rumsfeld is more delusional than deceptive, probably than any other.
First of all his last statement about hordes of intelligence is preposterous. It didn't produce hoards of intelligence. In fact, I never saw any raw intelligence pass my desk that came from such things that was actionable, that really led to any circumstance at all that produced a result that was positive.
Secondly, Donald Rumsfeld only has as knowledge what his bureaucracy gave him. He wasn't there. He wasn't at the site. Multiple tiers of bureaucracy gave him the information that he had. And he made damned sure that that bureaucracy was sycophants, yes men, yes women. He made sure that the people working for him told him what he wanted to hear.
So one has to expect that Donald Rumsfeld heard what he just said and that was that actionable intelligence was produced by these procedures. It is preposterous.
And let me say one last thing. As Christopher Hitchens said after he was actually waterboarded, this is torture, changing his view. Let me waterboard Donald Rumsfeld and then we'll see if he says it's torture or not.
Thank you Mr. Wilkerson!
I love the thought of a drenched and sputtering Rummy after a wet towel and canteen session being asked if he has reconsidered his opinion on waterboarding.