Beg pardon?

Amazing what conservatives choose to apply their "American pride" to:

In a November 5 National Review Online column -- "Waterboarding Has Its Benefits" -- contributing editor Deroy Murdock wrote that "[w]aterboarding is something of which every American should be proud," adding that "[t]hough clearly uncomfortable, waterboarding loosens lips without causing permanent physical injuries (and unlikely even temporary ones)."

Well, that's lovely! Who cares whether it's really torture or not - it doesn't cause any permanent injuries (in Mr. Murdock's fevered brain, anyway, regardless of the reality), so it's perfectly fine.

You get the impression that if they could get their sadistic little paws on, say, the pain box from Dune they'd be more than happy to use it. "So it causes unbelievable pain. So what? It doesn't harm the person at all, not physically! That's something to be proud of!"

"There're those who'd give a pretty for the secret of this box, though."

Yeah, Reverend Mother, and they have the ears of those running this country, god help us.