They used euphemisms when referring to torture, calling their interrogations “enhanced,” “robust,” and “special” (Mayer, 151). They also hired lawyers to help create legal justifications for their actions. President George W. Bush reassured the public that “the Department of Justice reviewed the authorized methods extensively and determined them to be lawful” (Mayer, 155). Machiavelli would support such precautions: he advises that a leader “must be a fox in order to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten off wolves” (57). The torture-using CIA can be thought of as the lions scaring the wolves of terrorism away, and the lawyers and use of euphemisms can be thought of as the foxes to provide legal vindication. However, while the government put in effort to protect the state and have foxy foresight, they did not account for the backlash from the
They used euphemisms when referring to torture, calling their interrogations “enhanced,” “robust,” and “special” (Mayer, 151). They also hired lawyers to help create legal justifications for their actions. President George W. Bush reassured the public that “the Department of Justice reviewed the authorized methods extensively and determined them to be lawful” (Mayer, 155). Machiavelli would support such precautions: he advises that a leader “must be a fox in order to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten off wolves” (57). The torture-using CIA can be thought of as the lions scaring the wolves of terrorism away, and the lawyers and use of euphemisms can be thought of as the foxes to provide legal vindication. However, while the government put in effort to protect the state and have foxy foresight, they did not account for the backlash from the