It’s still unclear if “enhanced interrogation techniques” played a role in determining where Osama bin Laden was hiding. But that hasn’t stopped people from rushing to judgment. Less than a day after bin Laden was killed, some former Bush administration officials and conservative pundits claimed that the death vindicated the use of waterboarding. But Democratic lawmakers and other officials contend that the intelligence information wasn’t obtained by torturing terrorism detainees. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, put the debate in proper perspective. “This whole concept of how we caught bin Laden is a lot of work over time by different people and putting the puzzle together,” he said. “I do not believe this is a time to celebrate waterboarding; I believe this is a time to celebrate hard work.”
It was a big win for the arts Tuesday when Kansas House budget negotiators agreed with the Senate proposal to include $689,000 for the Kansas Arts Commission in the 2012 state budget. That’s a cut from the current year, but it beats extinction — which is what Gov. Sam Brownback sought with his order to abolish the commission and replace it with a private, nonprofit foundation. The final step will be for Brownback to let the appropriation stand when the budget reaches him. A veto would be a slap in the face to all those Kansans who’ve stood up for the arts and advocated for the commission this spring.
Wichita drivers had three reminders Tuesday morning about the seasonal need to watch out for motorcycles and bicycles on streets and highways. Fortunately, no one was harmed during the Wichita City Council’s upbeat proclamations of May as Motorcycle Awareness Month and Bike Month. Unfortunately, hours earlier, a man was seriously injured when his motorcycle was hit by a pickup on Kellogg downtown.
It’s still unclear if “enhanced interrogation techniques” played a role in determining where Osama bin Laden was hiding. But that hasn’t stopped people from rushing to judgment. Less than a day after bin Laden was killed, some former Bush administration officials and conservative pundits claimed that the death vindicated the use of waterboarding. But Democratic lawmakers and other officials contend that the intelligence information wasn’t obtained by torturing terrorism detainees. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, put the debate in proper perspective. “This whole concept of how we caught bin Laden is a lot of work over time by different people and putting the puzzle together,” he said. “I do not believe this is a time to celebrate waterboarding; I believe this is a time to celebrate hard work.”
