Legalize torture in war on terror, Dershowitz advises - November 29, 2002

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/19366/edition_id/392/format/html/displaystory.html

NEW YORK -- In his newest book, Alan Dershowitz tackles a dilemma that has troubled Jewish communal leaders amid the war on terrorism: how to strengthen law enforcement while preserving civil liberties.

Never one to mince words, the prominent Harvard criminal law professor gives a plain answer to the book's provocative title, "Why Terrorism Works": because the world has rewarded it.

To make his case, Dershowitz charts Palestinian terrorism and corresponding advances for the Palestinian cause in publicity and diplomacy.

Several European countries have cooperated with terrorists to wiggle out of their path, Dershowitz writes. He equates their move with the "prisoner's dilemma," in which two prisoners are better off if neither informs the police, but whoever does gets the better deal.

In the global equation between those encouraging terror and those opposing it, the "villains are France, Germany, Italy, the United Nations and the Vatican, and the heroes are the United States and Israel," Dershowitz said in a phone interview.

"We're the good guys; they're the bad guys."

[ixion]

1. unbelievable

really. The lapse of logic in "We're the good guys, so torture is a-okay when we do it." is monstrous and shameful.

[AlamoDemoc]

2. Mr. Dershowitz is now a mouthpiece of the Israeli government...n/t

[AlamoDemoc]

4. K&R...for Mr. Dershowitz's one sided ideology of Zionism

[AlamoDemoc]

7. Writing about Mr. Dershowitz's earlier book "The case for Israel"

Dr. Normal Finkelstein wrote in his latest book "Beyond Chutzpah";

"...The case of Israel by Harvard law professor surpasses from 'Time Immemorial' in deceitfulness and is among the most spectacular academic frauds ever published on the Israel-Palestine conflict"

[KyuzoGator]

3. Cleansing the Earth of Jews and cripples was the right thing to do.

I guess it's all just a matter of perspective, Alan. I guess some people thought the Nazis were the good guys.

[elehhhhna]

5. It's been proven that torture produces false intel. maybe that's why the

BA likes it!

Let's torture his big, famous client Claus Von Bulow to find out what really happened to Sunnny.

[1monster]

6. Wasn't there a time years ago when Dershowitz was actually reasonable?

What the heck happened to this guy????????

[The Stranger]

8. Has Alan Dershowitz completely lost his fucking mind?

Has someone taken over his body? This is freakish.

He is trying to use the "terrorism" construction to eviscerate addressing THE ROOT CAUSES OF TERRORISM.

It may be the case that Palestinians have made "advances" because SUCH ADVANCES WERE RIGHT, MORAL, JUST AND NECESSARY. Make these advances together in peace and AVOID TERRORISM.

But Dershowitz appears to be trying to avoid people waking up to that possibility by claiming it is "REWARDED"?

Nice and quick, Alan, but OUR minds are still quicker.