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Lots to unpack here, Joel.

Let's start by noting that Jonah is a little uncomfortable with the idea of waterboarding, but does not consider it torture, as he discussed in his "What's Your Problem" segment with The New Republic's Peter Beinhart in November. And Jonah even writes in the very column you cite:

But, given the circumstances at the time, I think the decision to waterboard these three men was right and certainly defensible.

As for "political opportunism"? Well, that's politics. I think the "both sides do it" point you make, however, is complicated by the fact that the criticism of the Dems in 2002, 2004 and beyond was that they voted for the war, but were voting against funding the mission. That's a more legitimate point to make in the political sphere, I think, than accusing Republicans of being "pro-torture."

Even your objection to bringing up the fact that "Dems never worked to explicitly make [waterboarding] illegal" is not quite that simple. They have not only refused to make it illegal despite several opportunities (which is what makes their behavior now pure political grandstanding, or "opportunism," if you will), but when they learned about the practice years ago, they raised no objections to it at all. In fact, the Democrats briefed on the practice in 2002 wondered if it was "tough enough."

Bringing such things up is valid. Democrats should not be allowed to shove their previous views down the memory hole. Yes, they've changed their tune publicly now. And I think it's all just for the purposes of moral preening and posturing for their left-wing base and the European intelligencia. Why do I think this? Because ... well, I explained it the previous paragraph.

I think what we need here is a clear understanding that people like Jonah and me, who lose no sleep over the fact that KSM was made to feel like he was drowning for about a minute, are not "pro-torture." I would be troubled if it was determined that the technique was being employed often, and as a form of punishment. But there is no evidence that either is true.

The trouble is, people like Jonah and me (and, I presume, Ben) are painted as morally lacking because we can condone the use of such an terrifying interrogation technique at all -- even in rare and necessary circumstances. That is a big difference that many on the "liberal" side of this argument fail to acknowledge.

If one thinks that waterboarding should never, ever be done. Fine. That's a clear, absolute position. But it is simply wrong to paint everyone who doesn't hold that position as condoning "torture" in absolutely any circumstance. So, in a sense, many on the other side of this issue are arguing that they are, in fact, the pure-hearted ones. And guys like me have black hearts.

Oh, and citing an Andrew Sullivan post -- where he puts up a picture of Nazi torture to leave the impression that the Bush "regime" is just as bad -- is plain silly. Andrew long ago stopped making rational sense on this topic. In fact, he's the poster boy for the complaints I list above.