Americans Should Follow Israel's Example, Says Schmemann

"When Israel Confronted and Rejected Torture"; By Serge Schmemann; A22

Serge Schmemann renders an accurate account of Israel's relationship to torture and implicitly suggests that the United States follow Israel's example. Generally, NYT applies harsh criticism to the United States and Israel, the difference being that NYT is an American paper, not an Israeli one, so it is more appropriate in the former case than the latter. 

The question that begs to be answered is, Does Israel maintain as high, higher, or lower a standard of conduct in matters of war than the United States? Negative coverage of Israel's incursion into Gaza in January outdid anything NYT produced on the Iraq War, so one would guess that the paper of record believes Israel does not have a high enough standard in combat. 

Schmemann's op-ed suggests otherwise. The author's admiration for former Supreme Court Justice Barak is evident. Certain other statements reflect an understanding of Israel and its predicament:

• "Nobody would question the reality of the threats faced by Israel."
  
• "None of [Israel's] foes share its scruples about torture."
  
• "Having covered the gruesome aftermath of several suicide bombings, I was not unsympathetic to 'ticking-bomb' arguments."
  

To see Israel, and its enemies, presented in this fashion is satisfying.