Should civilized nations use "Enhanced Interrogation" techni

[Kevin]

I'm not really for normalizing relations, or letting up on the embargo either. ...... I don't have a problem with extending the embargo to the other thugs in the world either.

I'm a little divided on this. I'm with you on embargo on the thugs on the world, I know that they affect the average citizen of that country harshly but to be callous most of those citizens are bad enough off without the embargo that the practical difference to them is very little, but it does have an impact on the thugs. Unfortunately it's a very long term strategy and since they haven't been employed to the needed extent too often, the effectiveness of changing the hearts of the people after the thug is gone is still hard to measure.

However you have to lift the embargo at some point and I think now might be the time with Cuba. Since Fidel is technically not in charge after transferring power to Raul in Feb of 08 we are dealing with a different leader. Since Fidel is still alive and still wields a great deal of power we can't be completely sure what Raul will want to do and so normalizing relations until he proves to be a thug doesn't seem like a completely bad idea. I'm not fully sure about that, but I think that is what the thinking is.

You apply the pressure and penalty where it needs to be and then you remove that to show people that, we'll deal with you if you are reasonable. This is why I'm all for treating other thugs the same way. Show them that we won't deal with that, but if the thug is gone we'll work with you. Yes it's a recipe to start civil wars and coups but it's often been stated that democracy doesn't work unless the people take it for themselves. I'd vastly prefer non violent methods (and they have happened. Liberia isn't the perfect example but it appears they have mostly gotten onto the track of a truly free democracy without a lot of bloodshed, though they weren't starting for the same point.

I just hope the thugs of the world don't mistake the Obama administrations prostrations as American weakness, because that is what will get us into the next war.

It's too early to pass judgement on what Obama is doing in my mind. My belief is that he is thinking about 4 or 5 years down the road with some of his actions, maybe even longer term. This game can not be won in the short term you have to play it out to the long term. In ways I'm glad Bush was as nuts as he was because there might be a time when we really do want someone who is that ready to just attack people. We didn't need it while he was in office and I don't think he handled much well, but since I like to see silver linings, showing the world that we can be that way and that we can also change if we want to isn't really a bad thing.

What I hope for is that some punk does try to attack us and that the Obama administration clearly thwarts it and hits the attacker with strong repercussions to help solidify that while we are being nice we aren't push overs. Nice does not equal weakness though not everyone understands that.