Our inability to "call a thing a thing" is why #GinaHaspel can be considered as CIA Director. Because like the refusal to call a "lie" a "lie," and to call racism by its name, much of the media and govt officials for years during the Iraq War refused to use the word "torture."
Phrases like "enhanced interrogation" were created to cover the reality of our moral descent. And then, of course the tactic of avoiding an obvious wrong by endlessly questioning, "is waterboarding torture?" These terrible evasions continue to haunt us.
Asking whether we received "good information" from torture is yet another moral evasion. Like people willing to tolerate racism if the economy improves. We have to decide who we are. Are we a nation of laws? Do we have common moral codes in the broadest sense?
Are we caretakers of a national soul?
And by the way, the answer to the question of what would you do if the President asked you to torture detainees under interrogation is: "I wouldn't follow that order or condone others following it because it is illegal and immoral." Not "I don't think he would ask me."
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