The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs says no to torture, and yes to closing Gitmo

Here is a question for everyone who is arguing against closing Guantanamo Bay and in favor of torture: do you know more about national security than the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Staff?

Regarding Gitmo, Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, went on "This Week" and said:

Well, I've advocating for a long time now that it needs to be closed. President Obama made a decision very early after his Inauguration to do that by next January. And we're all working very hard to meet that deadline.

Well, the concern I've had about Guantanamo in these wars is it has been a symbol, and one which has been a recruiting symbol for those extremists and jihadists who would fight us. So and I think that centers -- you know, that's the heart of the concern for Guantanamo's continued existence, in which I spoke to a few years ago, the need to close it.

 Regarding torture, Admiral Mullen said this at a press briefing earlier this month:

• Q     Can I just ask you one very other quick question. Now that you, like the rest of the world, have seen the memos released on enhanced interrogation techniques under the Bush administration, and the world has seen the description of all of that, can I ask you, when you served under President Bush, were you aware of the details of enhanced interrogation techniques? And did you at that time or do you now believe that those -- now that they're in the public arena, do you believe that that is torture?
• ADM. MULLEN: I have not -- I had not seen those memorandums before. I was specifically aware of the requirements of the Army Field Manual and very focused on that and sort of bounding the problem with respect to what the military does, and that's my responsibility. And from that point at no time have I ever supported torture, and that has been very clear and remains. I'd leave it at that.
• Q     But my question is actually -- I'm sorry, but the question is -- because so many people, including Senator McCain, have expressed the concern that these techniques could be used someday against Americans captured on the battlefield, and I'm sure that that would be a worry. So, do you believe that the things described by the Bush administration are torture?
• ADM. MULLEN: I share Senator McCain's concern that these techniques could be used against us, and have for a considerable period of time. And I'd just leave it at that.

There you have it - the nation's top military man says that Guantanamo should be closed, ASAP, becasue it is a recruiting tool for our enemies; and he also says he is worried that our maltreatment of detainees is going to come back to bite us in the ass, and it will be American soldiers - not chickenhawk talking heads - who will be paying the price.

All of you who want to argue otherwise: what information are you privy to that makes your opinion more valid than his?

If Admiral Mullen told me to jump off a cliff, would I do it? No. If Admiral Mullen gave me his informed opinion about a key miliary matter, would I listen? Yes.

How about you?