ICYMI, Andrew Sullivan on Halfgov Palin’s latest derp:

Now look how far we have come from the original notion — pioneered by Charles Krauthammer and popularized by “24” — that torture should only be used in the hypothetical ticking time-bomb case. That argument — only ever hypothetical —nonetheless assumes that torture is evil and should only be used in extremis to prevent imminent catastrophe. Palin, in contrast, like her party, has long since blown past such niceties. She believes that torture should be the first resort - a sign of how America treats its foes, a badge of honor.

What can one say but that this is a bona fide fascistic sentiment. It revels in violence against individuals tied down by their hands and feet and strapped to a terrifying board in order to be suffocated hundreds of times to near-death. It is the kind of statement you might expect from the Khmer Rouge, or from the Chinese Communists who perfected “stress positions”, or from the Nazis, whose Gestapo pioneered “enhanced interrogation”, i.e. brutal torture that would leave no physical traces. Except it’s worse than that. Even totalitarian regimes have publicly denied their torture. Their reticence and lies are some small concession of vice to the appearance of virtue. Not Palin - who wants to celebrate brutal torture as the American way.

dish.andrewsullivan.com