I have a love-hate relationship with our Central Intelligence Agency. On the one hand, I highly respect those who sacrifice so much when serving our country. Agency officers do very dangerous work with little backup. Their successes are rarely, if ever, made public. It’s a lonely job, but one so crucial to our country’s national security. I deeply respect them and their work.
I got a glimpse of this spook world during my stint in the Navy. I loved reading Robert Baer’s book See No Evil, an account of the former CIA officer’s service in Middle East. That’s why I can sympathize with Valerie Plame when reading about how her illustrious career with the CIA was destroyed by Dick Cheney, Scooter Libby, and Karl Rove. This shameful outing of a dedicated agent deserves to be punished.
On the other hand, I am opposed to extraodinary renditions. Kidnapping suspects and delivering them to rogue states for torture violates the oath these officers have taken to support and uphold the Constitution. My loyalty to the Constitution comes before my admiration of those supposedly serving it. Abuses of human rights deserve to be punished as well. There are age-old, proven procedures for getting the bad guys: get a warrant, set up an investigation, gather evidence. Then arrest them and put them up for trial. Sure it takes longer, but you can still sleep at night. Call me a Boy Scout, but that’s how I see it.
Last year I followed the story of the CIA flights from Johnston County Airport, making noise about it when none of the local media had yet to bat an eye. I was contacted by a reporter from the New York Times seeking information. Eventually, the story was picked up by the N&O and WRAL.
That’s why when I found out that a group opposed to torture is meeting locally tomorrow night, I knew I have to go. Stop Torture Now will be meeting at 7:30 Tuesday night at Raleigh’s Unitarian Universalist Church on 3313 Wade Avenue. I don’t know much about the group or the meeting’s agenda, but I feel its important to voice my concern about this troubling, illegal practice.
Aren’t we supposed to be the Good Guys?