Best Intentions

Phillip Carter writes:

The Bush administration has essentially adopted a consequentialist legal calculus for its detention and interrogation system. But if you're going to be a consequentialist, then you need to be a good one, and accurately assess the costs and benefits of a given policy choice before adopting (or continuing) it. Senior officials in the White House, Justice Department, Pentagon and CIA may honestly believe that torture (or coercive interrogation, or whatever label you choose) is necessary. They may honestly think these policies are in the national interest. But if so, they're wearing blinders -- and totally oblivious to the strategic blowback from these policies.

At this point, they've gone too far into criminality to turn back, I fear.