--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you are charged with this…" description: "\"If you are charged with this responsibility of enhancing interrogations, or using soldiers to enhance interrogations to find Saddam, and you're above t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/janis-karpinski-24986_above-the-law_if-you-are-charged-with-this-responsibil_1647415.jpg" --- # If you are charged with this responsibility of enhancing… ![“If you are charged with this responsibility of enhancing interrogations, or using soldiers to enhance interrogations to find Saddam, and you're above the law for all practical purposes, you might try some unusual techniques. Now we know that, in fact, they did.” quote by Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/janis-karpinski-24986_above-the-law_if-you-are-charged-with-this-responsibil_1647415.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/janis-karpinski-24986_above-the-law_if-you-are-charged-with-this-responsibil_1647415.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/janis-karpinski-24986_above-the-law_if-you-are-charged-with-this-responsibil_1647415.jpg) > “If you are charged with this responsibility of enhancing interrogations, or using soldiers to enhance interrogations to find Saddam, and you're above the law for all practical purposes, you might try some unusual techniques. Now we know that, in fact, they did.” [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power without accountability can lead to extreme, unethical methods in pursuit of goals. **In simple terms:** Unchecked authority breeds abuse. Key Takeaway Question authority, enforce oversight. Themes ethics power military interrogation accountability Mood cautious critical serious Type political ethical When to use this quote - military operations - policy making - law enforcement - human rights advocacy Key Concepts human rights coercion legal limits Questions to Reflect On - Who should monitor those with extraordinary power? - What safeguards can prevent abuse? A Different Perspective Legal frameworks often fail to restrain powerful actors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Above the law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/above-the-law/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Interrogation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interrogation/) [Interrogations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interrogations/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technique/) ## Related quotes > [As a general rule, interrogations without clearly defined legal limits are brutal. Particularly when they have an imperative to get information out of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-nance/as-a-general-rule-interrogations-without-clearly-defined-legal-limits/) [Malcolm Nance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-nance/) > [I was much less offended than others were by the CIA's interrogations in the years after September 11.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/i-was-much-less-offended-than-others-were-by-the-cia-s-interrogations/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [Because interrogations are intended to coerce confessions, interrogators feel themselves justified in using their coercive means. Consistency regarding the technique is not important; inducing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/because-interrogations-are-intended-to-coerce-confessions/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [“The white policeman was a man who gave an impression of heaviness. It wasn't that he was fat, but he sagged as if with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lanchester/the-white-policeman-was-a-man-who-gave-an-impression-of-heaviness-it/) [John Lanchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lanchester/) > [“My mother is a firm believer in the long pause, useful in interrogations, proclamations of truth, and the occasional cutting dead of someone without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-finnamore/my-mother-is-a-firm-believer-in-the-long-pause-useful-in/) [Suzanne Finnamore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-finnamore/) > [I like to think I would not have approved those methods in the past, but I do not fault those who made the decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-c-blair/i-like-to-think-i-would-not-have-approved-those-methods-in-the-past/) [Dennis C. Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-c-blair/) > [We're not allowed to carry out harsh interrogations anymore, but we're allowed to fly over somebody's village, without due process, and kill them all?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gordon/we-re-not-allowed-to-carry-out-harsh-interrogations-anymore-but-we-re/) [Howard Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gordon/) > [High value information came from interrogations in which those methods were used and provided a deeper understanding of the al Qa'ida organization that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-c-blair/high-value-information-came-from-interrogations-in-which-those/) [Dennis C. Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-c-blair/) > [As one who was a prosecutor for many years, I can tell you that having a tape recording of interrogations would help everybody. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-spitzer/as-one-who-was-a-prosecutor-for-many-years-i-can-tell-you-that-having/) [Eliot Spitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-spitzer/) > [We should go forward in courts and Congress with investigations into post-9/11 interrogations and the decisions leading to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-pelosi/we-should-go-forward-in-courts-and-congress-with-investigations-into/) [Christine Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-pelosi/) > [“His loss. I know a hell of a lot more about headstrong teenage girls than he does.” Colin gave her his most quelling look.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/his-loss-i-know-a-hell-of-a-lot-more-about-headstrong-teenage-girls/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [The hon. gentleman had better spare his interrogations if they are as senseless as that one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-tupper/the-hon-gentleman-had-better-spare-his-interrogations-if-they-are-as/) [Charles Tupper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-tupper/) > [“Your blush confirms my suspicions. See, I am learning how to use your methods to perform interrogations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byrd-nash/your-blush-confirms-my-suspicions-see-i-am-learning-how-to-use-your/) [Byrd Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byrd-nash/) > [It was clear to me that the White House's solemn atmosphere would not civilize Trump. But the merciless nepotism with which he conducts politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/it-was-clear-to-me-that-the-white-house-s-solemn-atmosphere-would-not/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [The vision that the founding fathers had of rule of law and equality before the law and no one above the law, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/the-vision-that-the-founding-fathers-had-of-rule-of-law-and-equality/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) ## More by Janis Karpinski > [The mission statement was ordered, and it sent the 800th MP Brigade, effective the first of July, up to Baghdad. I joined my brigade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/the-mission-statement-was-ordered-and-it-sent-the-800th-mp-brigade/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [I was ordered not to go out to Abu Ghraib after dark early on, because Abu Ghraib was extremely dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/i-was-ordered-not-to-go-out-to-abu-ghraib-after-dark-early-on-because/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [The war was declared over - the end of major combat operations - in May 2003. Release procedures got under way immediately; reducing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/the-war-was-declared-over-the-end-of-major-combat-operations-in-may/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [If they conducted a raid in this room, you'd all be policed up. They'd take all of you to Abu Ghraib and turn you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/if-they-conducted-a-raid-in-this-room-you-d-all-be-policed-up-they-d/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [And shortly after that, when I try to get access to those soldiers, to ask them what in the world was going on, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/and-shortly-after-that-when-i-try-to-get-access-to-those-soldiers-to/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [Shortly after we arrived in Baghdad, we had another conversation with the ambassador. He said that he wanted us to give him the timeline,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/shortly-after-we-arrived-in-baghdad-we-had-another-conversation-with/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [There was a military police brigade with over 3,400 soldiers getting ready to go home because their mission - prisoner-of-war operations - was finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/there-was-a-military-police-brigade-with-over-3-400-soldiers-getting/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [That policy was abandoned very quickly, and the military police were tagged with the responsibility of conducting training, which they did. We were not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/that-policy-was-abandoned-very-quickly-and-the-military-police-were/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [We need to fix this. It hasn't been done yet because there's still a reluctance to admit that there was even a problem -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/we-need-to-fix-this-it-hasn-t-been-done-yet-because-there-s-still-a/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [The vast majority of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, even after interrogation, had no further intel value whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/the-vast-majority-of-prisoners-at-abu-ghraib-even-after-interrogation/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [Military intelligence interrogators, however, their goal is to get information, to save lives, to stop the war, to find Saddam - whatever the information…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/military-intelligence-interrogators-however-their-goal-is-to-get/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [The day after the prison was transferred to the military intelligence command, they had an entire battalion - 1,200, 1,500 soldiers - arrive at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/the-day-after-the-prison-was-transferred-to-the-military-intelligence/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [Military police know what to do, they know the Geneva Conventions, and their objective is to provide a safe, secure, fair environment for prisoners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/military-police-know-what-to-do-they-know-the-geneva-conventions-and/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [I thought that that mission and the mission of taking care of those soldiers were my priorities, and I stand by the same today.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/i-thought-that-that-mission-and-the-mission-of-taking-care-of-those/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [They transfer the prison, and all of a sudden all this money cuts loose, all these people cut loose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/they-transfer-the-prison-and-all-of-a-sudden-all-this-money-cuts/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) [Explore all 23 Janis Karpinski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) ## More Above the law quotes > [The vision that the founding fathers had of rule of law and equality before the law and no one above the law, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/the-vision-that-the-founding-fathers-had-of-rule-of-law-and-equality/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [It was clear to me that the White House's solemn atmosphere would not civilize Trump. But the merciless nepotism with which he conducts politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/it-was-clear-to-me-that-the-white-house-s-solemn-atmosphere-would-not/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [“no man is above the law and that includes the president of the United States”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-allred/no-man-is-above-the-law-and-that-includes-the-president-of-the-united/) [Gloria Allred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-allred/) > [The intelligence community, for the most part, has no accountability at all; to the Congress, to us the American people, and so they feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/the-intelligence-community-for-the-most-part-has-no-accountability-at/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [In England Parliament is above the law. In America the law is above Congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/in-england-parliament-is-above-the-law-in-america-the-law-is-above/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [I promise, before God and my community, to seek reforms so that the powerful and corrupt are no longer above the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-thomas/i-promise-before-god-and-my-community-to-seek-reforms-so-that-the/) [Andrew Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-thomas/) > [At a time when our moral standing in the world has been weakened by a rubber stamp Justice Department that placed the Bush Administration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-wasserman-schultz/at-a-time-when-our-moral-standing-in-the-world-has-been-weakened-by-a/) [Debbie Wasserman Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-wasserman-schultz/) > [Any violation of civil rights will be aggressively pursued and prosecuted by my administration. No one will be above the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/any-violation-of-civil-rights-will-be-aggressively-pursued-and/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [No one is above the law and that I would pursue justice on their behalf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-mosby/no-one-is-above-the-law-and-that-i-would-pursue-justice-on-their/) [Marilyn Mosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-mosby/) > [Sometimes you have to go above the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawn-hall/sometimes-you-have-to-go-above-the-law/) [Fawn Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawn-hall/) > [Live like the Kennedy's, above the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-pun/live-like-the-kennedy-s-above-the-law/) [Big Pun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-pun/) > [As God as my witness, they said, We're above the law. There's nothing you can do to us. You're just a church secretary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/as-god-as-my-witness-they-said-we-re-above-the-law-there-s-nothing/) [Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/) > [We are a nation of laws. And nobody can ignore our Constitution. No one's above the law. And that includes the president of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yang/we-are-a-nation-of-laws-and-nobody-can-ignore-our-constitution-no-one/) [John Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yang/) > [Wherever the Government does not emanate...from the people, the principle of the Government, the esprit de corps, the point of honour, in all those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/wherever-the-government-does-not-emanate-from-the-people-the/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [No one is above the law, not even the president. I believe perjury does meet at least the definition of high misdemeanor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-johnson/no-one-is-above-the-law-not-even-the-president-i-believe-perjury-does/) [Nancy Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-johnson/) [Browse all 58 Above the law quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/above-the-law/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you are charged with this responsibility of enhancing interrogations, or using soldiers to enhance interrogations to find Saddam, and you're above the law for all practical purposes, you might try some unusual techniques. 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