Torture Convictions Lead to Increased Violence

Everyone is up in arms about the use of water boarding and other torture like events. Seriously?! Are we really going to turn on the military personnel and federal agents that worked on interrogating terror suspects?

The cycle we are in looks like this:
1) Get lazy and soft because we feel safe and nothing has gone wrong for a while (Clinton years)
2) Have something terrible happen and get tough to protect our families (Bush years)
3) Regret the idea that you got tough and claim that it wasn't worth it (Obama months)

Not a good cycle for anyone. The agents learn that they can't trust orders, and fear being penalized for being tough, so they decide to play it safe. The bad guys learn this and get even tougher. Then the bad guys do something terrible, and we react with even tougher methods. Instead of being a path to peace this actually leads to increasing violence (by encouraging attacks and overreactions).

But I really want to focus on a bigger question: are we willing to do what is necessary to win wars and protect our families? Bad people force us to react harshly. And I am willing to react harshly to protect this country. At some point we need to be confident and secure in our willingness to kick some one's ass that has or is threatening us! Not everyone is going to be persuaded by "talking it out". Some people push until they get their asses kicked. It is a fact of life (albeit a terrible one).

It is one thing to regret having to go to harsh lengths to protect the United States. It is another thing entirely to regret that you did what was demanded of you by the situation. In other words, I regret that you have forced me to shoot you, but I do not regret shooting you when you forced me to do so. The difference is vital to our future as a free country.