Everything we did was -- you know, it had legal -- legal opinions behind it. Look, you're sitting there, you've captured Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. He's the guy that ordered the September the 11th attacks. And we want to know what he knows in order to protect the United States of America. And I got legal opinions that said whatever we're going to do is legal. And my job is to protect you, Larry.Notice that the president defines his job in a way that gives precedence to the act of protection, not to upholding the law or ensuring justice. According to President Bush, the laws of war serve the aim of protecting the citizenry. In this reading, whatever the government does to protect Americans, even if that includes acts of torture or other injustices, should be legal. It is more important that the law protects than that it ensures justice.
If we value safety more than justice, then we will sacrifice justice in the name of safety.