Is Eisner's ABC partly responsible for torture in Iraqi prisons?

[genius]

In 2001, after the WTC event, there was a special episode of Nightline wherein people were asked if torture would be an acceptable form of interrogation? The show helped put the idea into people's minds and lent acceptability to the idea of torture. When I saw this, I knew it was just a matter of time before we would hear about abuses we've been hearing about.

[RBHam]

1. The "Tortue Is Good" meme was leaked everywhere...

From CNN's Nightline and Crossfire to Art Bell's Coast To Coast...

The Pentagon and CIA need torture to extract false confessions out of goat herders and shoe makers in Guantanamo to propagandize Americans into believing that the "War On terror" is not a sham.

It's been a well thought through scheme since before they decided to go ahead with their updated Operation Northwoods.

[MallRat]

2. Wow. Your thread is quite timely.

Just received this today, regarding tonight's Nightline episode.

Nightline Daily E-Mail
June 17, 2004

TONIGHT'S FOCUS: When is torture permissible?

Many Americans, especially in light of the shocking photos from Abu Ghraib prison, would say "never!" But what about today? An American is being held hostage in Saudi Arabia under threat of murder tomorrow. And in Baghdad earlier today, a car bomb killed over 35 people, and wounded more than 100 civilians who were waiting in line to join the Iraqi military. And today more chilling details of what transpired on 9/11 have come forward.

If someone had information that could save the American hostage's life, or stop today's car bomb before it exploded, or most significantly, stopped the hijackers before that September morning, how could you resist committing torture to get that information? Tonight, we will have a continuation of last night's program about the treatment of detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay: a debate about torture, terrorism and what the United States will allow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last night, Nightline's John Donvan laid out what is known about the treatment of detainees and prisoners in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay and the discussion of that treatment in at least some parts of the Bush Administration. At the end of the program Ted Koppel finished by calling for a debate about when torture is permissible - and promising that at least part of that debate would begin on tonight's program. This is what Ted Koppel said last night:

"One of these days, here in the United States, another terrorist cell is going to get lucky and we're going to be picking through the rubble again, carrying off our dead and injured. Then, the debate over torture will be essentially over. That is how, after all, in the wake of 9/11, we got detention without trial, an off-shore prison system, and denial of legal counsel for those suspected of terrorism. That's also how we got the Patriot Act for the rest of us. Mind you, all of these may be essential tools in the war against terrorism. But there are better times to conduct a debate on the subject than in the immediate aftermath of a national tragedy. Now, for example, is a better time.

It is difficult to argue that there are no circumstances under which torture might be justified. The possibility, for example, of preventing the imminent death of thousands of innocents. But it should be unthinkable for any defender of the US Constitution to argue that there should be no clearly defined rules, no limits, no boundaries, no consequences for anyone who exceeds those boundaries. That is the territory that must be clarified beyond ambiguity. We insist that there will be clear labeling on our foods. Defining torture and when it can be applied in the name of the American public should require no less. Absent any major breaking news, we'll begin that debate on Nightline tomorrow."

So we begin that debate tonight. Ted Koppel will be joined by Senator Patrick Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Senate's Judiciary Committee, Andrew McCarthy, a former U.S. Attorney who led the 1995 prosecution of the first World Trade Center bombers, and reporter Jess Bravin, who has covered the law and terrorism beat for the Wall Street Journal since the September 11th attacks.

We hope you'll join us.

Sara Just and the Nightline Staff
Nightline Offices
ABC News Washington bureau