There was a recent article in the New Yorker, and some response in the press, including the Washington Post, about the tv show 24. I watched this for the first 2 seasons, but have not seen it since. It is now in its sixth season. Apparently, it has gotten very popular, especially among right-wing hawks in the government.
According to the article, military brass from West Point visited the set of the show and asked the shows producers to tone down the torture. Since the show is based on the “ticking bomb” scenario, the idea that unless the good guys can get the info right now, the bomb will explode, the only way to get that information is to use torture. And no surprise, they always get the information.
Well, the West Point cadets are trying to rationalize this fictional approach to prisoner information gathering, and its total success, with some of the suggestions being offered by the military. One example is helping a prisoner write a postcard to his family. I am not surprise they are confused by our recommended methods, but people who are the top in their classes, this is West Point, remember, are having trouble distinguishing between a tv and their training? The solution for this is not to talk to the producers of the show. The probably need to check their admission process.
