THAT’S DEBATABLE:

Since President Obama released government documents detailing how often some Al Qaeda suspects were subjected to heightened interrogation techniques such as waterboarding, it has touched off a debate about whether anyone should be prosecuted. What are your thoughts on this issue?

These techniques were performed on only three terrorists, after they had volunteered that the U.S. would be attacked again soon. Information obtained from these interrogations led to the discovery of the plot to blow up the tallest building in Los Angeles. Therefore, these interrogations very likely saved thousands of American lives. Additionally, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi admits that she was briefed on the practices before they were performed and raised no objections.

If people are to be prosecuted, then Pelosi should be on that list. If our intelligence officers expose themselves to prosecution while doing their jobs with the full knowledge and consent of Congressional leaders and the president, how can we expect them to continue to protect us? If the interrogations had not been performed and the building blown up, would there be a call to investigate why we did not use every tool at our disposal to save those American lives?

It is fair that we have a national debate over just what forms of interrogation that we as a civilized society will tolerate. But to threaten prosecution under these circumstances serves no useful purpose. In fact, it smacks of a political motive to distract the public from the debt and deficits being piled up by the current administration by continuing to focus on acts of the prior administration.

Rep. John Campbell

(R-Newport Beach)

On 9/11 almost 3,000 Americans lost their lives to a vicious terrorist attack. Those who stepped forward in the aftermath of this heinous crime feared there could be similar attacks on the way. Whether their opinions were legally questionable is irrelevant because they did so to protect us from another slaughter of our citizens.

Prosecuting such people would be a travesty and would do nothing but embolden terrorists around the world.

The liberal left should quit picking on the good guys for their imperfections and focus on the villains who are evil killers of innocent people.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher

(R-Huntington Beach)