Rivkin and Casey defend the "Torture" Memos..

Money Q:

All of these interrogation methods have been adapted from the U.S. military's own Survival Evasion Resistance Escape (or SERE) training program, and have been used for years on thousands of American service members with the full knowledge of Congress. This has created a large body of information about the effect of these techniques, on which the CIA was able to draw in assessing the likely impact on the detainees and ensuring that no severe pain or long term psychological impact would result.

Moreover, the waterboarding of just three top al Qaida operatives, led to information being provided that SAVED AMERICAN LIVES.

While Democrats and others on the left have attempted to paint members of the Bush Administration as gleeful torturers, the facts reveal something else; serious men trying to protect innocent Americans from another devastating attack.

Admittedly, the interrogation tactics were harsh but torture? No.

Obviously, the American public is conflicted on the subject. Yet, we know instinctively when such harsh tactics are justified when we see them portrayed on film. And we see them a lot.

NYPD Blues' Andy Sipowitz used to get harsh with skels all the time. Viewers understood and approved.

When Clint "Dirty Harry" Eastwood "tortured" a mass murderer to get him to reveal where his kidnap victim was, viewers understood and approved.

When Harrison Ford shot a British double agent in the knee cap, successfully getting him to talk in "Patriot Games," viewers understood and approved.

When Jack Bauer routinely engages in acts of "torture" to glean information to prevent terrorist attacks, viewers understand and approve.

Which is to say, context and motive matters when it comes to judging these acts, almost as much as the physical acts themselves.

UPDATE: Frank J. has a different opinion.