Zero Dark Thirty dims inauguration

Watching the movie last Sunday night, I was glad that none of the audience applauded at the end, as I expected based on my experiences in New York. It seems Washingtonians are more sophisticated in this regard.

To me, this movie is not an endorsement of torture, it is an expose and condemnation of torture and all inhuman and questionable methods employed in the 12-year War on Terror.

I am not sure if Obama's inauguration speech on Monday will touch on such issues. After his inauguration in 2009, he authorized the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention and interrogation center, where "terror suspects" are held without rights and legal proceedings,. But two years later, he signed the Defense Authorization Bill, which made the closure literally impossible.

This month, which marks the 12th anniversary of the Guantanamo facility, would be a perfect time for Obama to raise this issue again and seize the moral high ground.

Four years ago, Obama banned unlawful interrogations, but it is widely reported that extraordinary rendition, where terror suspects are moved overseas for enhanced interrogation, is still a reality today, though with somewhat more oversight.

In fact, Obama's picking of John Brennan as director of the CIA last week, has reminded many of the torture and questionable techniques used in the war on terror since George W. Bush's presidency.

Brennan, a high official in counter-terrorism, was directly involved in extraordinary renditions. He was supportive of using "enhanced interrogation" techniques on suspected terrorists. Both Brennan and Obama also favor the growing number of drone attacks, which have provoked fierce protests both in the US and abroad.

There is no doubt that Obama needs to clarify all these issues before his second term. He could probably do so by joining the debate over Zero Dark Thirty.

The author, based in Washington, is deputy editor of China Daily USA.

Email: chenweihua@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 01/18/2013 page8)