--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unlike the Japanese internment…" description: "\"Unlike the Japanese internment, water-boarding was ordered and served up in secret. But it, too, was America's policy, not just Dick Cheney's. Congress..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/jacob-weisberg-5003_america_unlike-the-japanese-internment-water-boa_2794689.jpg" --- # Unlike the Japanese internment, water-boarding was ordered… ![“Unlike the Japanese internment, water-boarding was ordered and served up in secret. But it, too, was America's policy, not just Dick Cheney's. Congress was informed about what was happening and raised no objection. The public knew, too.” quote by Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/jacob-weisberg-5003_america_unlike-the-japanese-internment-water-boa_2794689.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/jacob-weisberg-5003_america_unlike-the-japanese-internment-water-boa_2794689.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/jacob-weisberg-5003_america_unlike-the-japanese-internment-water-boa_2794689.jpg) > “Unlike the Japanese internment, water-boarding was ordered and served up in secret. But it, too, was America's policy, not just Dick Cheney's. Congress was informed about what was happening and raised no objection. The public knew, too.” [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights that water‑boarding was a covert, government‑approved interrogation method, not a rogue act by a single official. **In simple terms:** Water‑boarding was a secret, official policy. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden policies and demand transparency. Themes government policy ethics transparency Mood critical concerned Type political explanatory When to use this quote - military interrogations - legal oversight - media reporting - public awareness Key Concepts covert operations human rights political accountability Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens effectively hold secret policies accountable? - What mechanisms ensure transparency in government actions? A Different Perspective Even if known, policies can persist without challenge. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Internment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internment/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) ## Related quotes > [Growing up, I didn't know about the Japanese internment camps until I saw a movie of the week as an adult. I remember going,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adina-porter/growing-up-i-didn-t-know-about-the-japanese-internment-camps-until-i/) [Adina Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adina-porter/) > [You can't be citing Japanese internment camps for anything the president elect is going to do!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/you-can-t-be-citing-japanese-internment-camps-for-anything-the/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) > [Among the worst episodes in American history are those moments when the federal government deploys the full weight of its power against the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/among-the-worst-episodes-in-american-history-are-those-moments-when/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [I think the important thing to remember about the Japanese internment is the situation. We had been attacked. Maybe Roosevelt expected it - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-rusher/i-think-the-important-thing-to-remember-about-the-japanese-internment/) [William A. Rusher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-rusher/) > [When I was trying to figure out how the government might go about creating the camps in 'The Darkest Minds,' I researched the Japanese…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-bracken/when-i-was-trying-to-figure-out-how-the-government-might-go-about/) [Alexandra Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-bracken/) > [All I can say is that with business and the interest of any party before me, I will consider and apply the law as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/all-i-can-say-is-that-with-business-and-the-interest-of-any-party/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [The use of torture on suspected terrorists after Sept. 11 has already earned a place in American history's hall of shame, alongside the Alien…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/the-use-of-torture-on-suspected-terrorists-after-sept-11-has-already/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [You know, I grew up in two American internment camps, and at that time I was very young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/you-know-i-grew-up-in-two-american-internment-camps-and-at-that-time/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“The Fulcrum is not the first institution to have learned an eternal truth of humankind: No need for guards when you can convince people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/the-fulcrum-is-not-the-first-institution-to-have-learned-an-eternal/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“If this is Upper Silesia, what on earth must Lower Silesia be like?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/if-this-is-upper-silesia-what-on-earth-must-lower-silesia-be-like/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Thousands died in internment, where hardships and brutalities often far exceeded those experienced during the Nazi regime. Note”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-dixon/thousands-died-in-internment-where-hardships-and-brutalities-often/) Ingrid Dixon > [No one should ever be locked away simply because they share the same race, ethnicity, or religion as a spy or terrorist. If that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/no-one-should-ever-be-locked-away-simply-because-they-share-the-same/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [“We now dwelt in a very large prison, without walls, bounded by Canada, Mexico and two oceans. There were the jailers, the turnkeys, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/we-now-dwelt-in-a-very-large-prison-without-walls-bounded-by-canada/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Our Navy was very largely sunk. And we were at war in no time at all. I share, in retrospect, the distress we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-rusher/our-navy-was-very-largely-sunk-and-we-were-at-war-in-no-time-at-all-i/) [William A. Rusher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-rusher/) > [If liberals had been in charge of the Arizona memorial, it would probably have featured an exhaustive exhibit about the internment of Japanese Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-charen/if-liberals-had-been-in-charge-of-the-arizona-memorial-it-would/) [Mona Charen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-charen/) ## More by Jacob Weisberg > [As far apart as they are theologically, Mormons and evangelical Christians may have more in common with each other anthropologically than they do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/as-far-apart-as-they-are-theologically-mormons-and-evangelical/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Political analysts tend to overinterpret the results of isolated elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/political-analysts-tend-to-overinterpret-the-results-of-isolated/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Seeing the rich and famous screw up makes us feel superior, or at least not quite so inferior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/seeing-the-rich-and-famous-screw-up-makes-us-feel-superior-or-at/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Trade, tourism, cultural exchange, and participation in international institutions all serve to erode the legitimacy of repressive regimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/trade-tourism-cultural-exchange-and-participation-in-international/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [The cradle-to-grave welfare state diminishes individual initiative and can breed a pervasive sclerosis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/the-cradle-to-grave-welfare-state-diminishes-individual-initiative/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [America's sanctions policy is largely consistent and, in a certain sense, admirable. By applying economic restraints, we label the most oppressive and dangerous governments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/america-s-sanctions-policy-is-largely-consistent-and-in-a-certain/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [You may or may not agree with Obama's policy prescriptions, but they are, by and large, serious attempts to deal with the biggest issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/you-may-or-may-not-agree-with-obama-s-policy-prescriptions-but-they/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [The invasion of Iraq was, in ways that have since become hard to dispute, a terrible mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/the-invasion-of-iraq-was-in-ways-that-have-since-become-hard-to/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [In practice, conservatives are no less inclined than liberals to adopt superior stances or to tell people how to live their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/in-practice-conservatives-are-no-less-inclined-than-liberals-to-adopt/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [The leader who loves books that tell him he is great and right may be worse than the leader who does not love books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/the-leader-who-loves-books-that-tell-him-he-is-great-and-right-may-be/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Without medical records that he hasn't released, we can't know whether Gingrich may have inherited his mother's manic depression. Nevertheless, one observes in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/without-medical-records-that-he-hasn-t-released-we-can-t-know-whether/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Members of the middle class do not have to worry about falling off $250,000 sailboats because they don't have $250,000 sailboats to fall off of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/members-of-the-middle-class-do-not-have-to-worry-about-falling-off/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [In authoritarian societies, cultural institutions tend to become ideological proxies - think of the National Ballet in Cuba or the East German gymnastics team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/in-authoritarian-societies-cultural-institutions-tend-to-become/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Northeastern conservatism is moderate, accepts the modern welfare state, and dislikes mixing religion with politics. Western conservatism is hawkish, hates government, and embraces individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/northeastern-conservatism-is-moderate-accepts-the-modern-welfare/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [The most important newspapers in this country need to exist. Our democracy needs them. Life as we know it would be unthinkable without them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/the-most-important-newspapers-in-this-country-need-to-exist-our/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) [Explore all 104 Jacob Weisberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Unlike the Japanese internment, water-boarding was ordered and served up in secret. But it, too, was America's policy, not just Dick Cheney's. Congress was informed about what was happening and raised no objection. The public knew, too.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jacob Weisberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/unlike-the-japanese-internment-water-boarding-was-ordered-and-served/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/unlike-the-japanese-internment-water-boarding-was-ordered-and-served/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/jacob-weisberg-5003_america_unlike-the-japanese-internment-water-boa_2794689.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/jacob-weisberg-5003_america_unlike-the-japanese-internment-water-boa_2794689.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/jacob-weisberg-5003_america_unlike-the-japanese-internment-water-boa_2794689.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Unlike the Japanese internment, water-boarding was ordered and served up in secret. But it, too, was…” — Jacob Weisberg", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jacob Weisberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Unlike the Japanese internment, water-boarding was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/unlike-the-japanese-internment-water-boarding-was-ordered-and-served/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/unlike-the-japanese-internment-water-boarding-was-ordered-and-served/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```