Anne Coulter and the CIA Memo Debate

On yesterday's episode of Hannity, Sean Hannity had invited on columnist Anne Coulter to discuss the debate which involves the recently released CIA interrogation memos. Hannity begins his show by imposing the question: Will President Obama prosecute the CIA Officials whom took part in waterboarding? He provides his viewers with a "What We Know" list regarding Obama's stance on the issue. According to the report, Obama first resisted the idea of prosecuting the CIA officials involved. Obama had been quoted as far as saying that he wanted the United States to move forward from this issue.

Then in a matter of time, Obama had recently stated that "the decision to prosecute the CIA officials shall be up to the attorney general."Reflecting on Obama's recent change of decision, Hannity invites Anne Coulter to give her opinion about this issue. He begins his interview by asking Coulter if Obama had been swayed in any way to change his mind regarding the prosecution of these officials. Coulter responds by stating that Obama had been influenced by the media. The columnist claims that the media has "been screaming torture" and that they have not provided any substantial information from these memos. In regards to the memos, Coulter feels that the interrogation methods used by these officials are "wussy methods" and should not be mistaken with torture.

For example, Coulter provides viewers with information regarding some of the interrogation methods used by these CIA officials. She states that the officials used a caterpillar in one of their interrogations due to the fact that Abu Zubaydah was afraid of caterpillars. Due to interrogations methods like these, Coulter feels that "we are being laughed at throughout the Arab world. I mean, if they are actually reading these memos, they cannot be very afraid of being captured, because it is such wussie stuff that's going on..." Both Coulter and Hannity feel that it would be a damaging mistake if the press had released the names of the CIA officials involved in this issue. Hannity and Coulter conclude their interview by reviewing Obama and his 100 days as president. Both Hannity and Coulter feel that the general public has not seen the effects of Obama's policies and that his "changes are bankrupting the country."


Being against torture, I don't necessarily agree with Coulter's comments regarding the debate surrounding the CIA memos. Waterboarding is not "wussie stuff" and should not be practiced at all. Even with Coulter's caterpillar argument, I feel that the way these officials had used a caterpillars to "evoke fear and discomfort"from Zubaydah is wrong. Like Ali Soufan said "there is a way to talk without using torture." I would agree with Soufan's arguement that the CIA should use traditional interrgational methods which do not involve torture. However, I can understand both Coulter and Hannity's frustration in how Obama had suddenly changed his stance regarding the prosecution of these officials. Coulter is entitled to her opinion, and this is still a very debated issue. I feel that it is beneficial to hear all sides of an arguement.

May The Force Be With You,
Lauren