By Richard Blankenburg/Quixotic Tales

Today, I am reading about the United States of America sadistically torturing their prisoners of war, during the Afghan and Iraqi Wars.  These wars began without a Declaration of War by Congress during the administration of President George W. Bush 2001-2009.

These are two wars that as a patriotic American citizen I refused to support because neither sovereign nation, Afghanistan nor Iraq, was responsible for the terrorist bin Laden’s heinous attack on America, nor did either sovereign nation represent a threat to the United States of America and also because bin Laden was a citizen of Saudi Arabia.

Personally, I had two grandsons serving in combat in Afghanistan; I am proud of their service to their nation, despite my opposition to these wars.

That said, I was intrigued by this article regarding the American sadistic torture of prisoners of war since 2001, in violation of International Law that was approved as treaty by the U.S. Government and by the U.S. Congress.

The reason this particular article struck me as totally bizarre is because, “Two psychologists were paid $81 million by the CIA to advise on and help implement its brutal interrogation program targeting detainees in the war on terror, according to the Senate torture report summary released Tuesday. Published reports dating back to 2007 . . . identify the two men as James Elmer Mitchell and Bruce Jessen, both former members of the military.”

What my Air Force superiors taught me, and what Army regulations taught me, was that if I became a prisoner of war, I was protected by the International Law. All I was required to tell the enemy captors was my name, rank, and serial number and the enemy was prohibited from mistreating me or torturing me in any way.

This article is of particular interest to me, not because of the high cost use of my tax dollars for the government to learn how to sadistically torture prisoners of war, but because of my own experience as a draftee serving in the United States Air Force.

In 1949-50, as a draftee I served for a short time during relative peace, in the service of my country. I specifically learned how to kill the enemy and how to react if I were ever captured and a prisoner of war.  I had always realized that my sole purpose of serving in the military, was to learn how to kill the enemy and how to behave if captured by the enemy.

Feeling my service was a moral responsibility of mine as a citizen, I tried to be the best student possible. I loved America!

What my Air Force superiors taught me, and what Army regulations taught me, was that if I became a prisoner of war, I was protected by the International Law. All I was required to tell the enemy captors was my name, rank, and serial number and the enemy was prohibited from mistreating me or torturing me in any way.

This military stuff was serious business about me killing other human beings that are America’s enemy (perhaps enemy soldiers conscripted just as I was) and how to remain faithful to American and survive being killed or tortured by the enemy if captured.

So, I wondered about myself and my sanity, when I discovered that I was laughing out loud all alone, because it appeared laughable that my U.S. government was spending $81 million of my tax money, to hire two psychologists, to teach the American military how to sadistically torture enemy prisoners of war in violation of International Law and human decency.

Surely, no one else was laughing; surely, no one else found this funny! So I decided that I was laughing because I was too big to cry and my reaction to this story was based on my own experience of serving in the military.

Americans who have not served in the military must look at this story differently. But I can only explain my own reaction based solely on my own personal experience.

Actually, I was not eager to serve in the military because I would find it difficult to kill another human being, even in self-defense; but I am confident that I could and that I would and I consider my service in the U.S. Air Force was a moral responsibility owed to my beloved America.

However, I question whether I would feel the same today, knowing what I know. I would find it difficult to have to kill another human being, even if it is an enemy of my government which spent $81 million of my tax dollars to teach soldiers how to sadistically torture prisoners of war in violation of International Law.

Therefore, writing my words here now is important to me, because I want to make my position clear; as a result of my personal experience serving in the U.S. military, I cannot in any way condone or approve of America sadistically torturing enemy prisoners of war.

Further, I need no other excuse to come to my conclusion and I need no other excuse to absolutely disagree with any American including all members of American government or military who thinks differently, and I could not possibly support any of these political and/or military entities.

My conscience is clear.

Mr. Blankenburg’s submission has been edited for style and clarity.