Dear FRONTLINE,

All I see and hear in your program are statements that are hostile to the interrogation techniques used by the military. Where are the defenders of the statements that you make? You have a one-sided anti-military conversation.

The Geneva convention was negotiated to protect soldiers on both sides of a conflict who are captured in the field from cruel and harsh punishment. Terrorists have proved that they have no compassion for either innocent civilians or American military personnel. There are several videos of terrorists cutting the heads off of people they have hoped to use for political purposes. Where is your outrage in this?

I think that this PBS supported program is liberal biased, anti-military, and anti-American. I will stand up to fight this type of programming from being aired.

Larry Andrews
Seattle, WA

Dear FRONTLINE,

Firstly thank you to Frontline for a brave and provocative documentary.

As an outsider to your country I ask the question "why"? I grew up in the United Kingdom, my father was with RAF bomber command - you came to our aid, you helped rebuild Europe. What happened?

We may react with digust at the details of the torture and become caught up in he sensationalism of reporting but the real issues are more subtle. It is not the use of harsh interrogation that is the fear, but the system of administration that created the culture within which such abuses can occur that is the real terror. Outside of your country, in coffee houses, friends chatting, dinner parties and other gatherings we often talk about your country.

We see a country driven by a carefully orchestrated fear mentality, a country where media reporting of the war in Iraq (and other issues)is controlled and sanitized and a government that redefines international rules and definitions.

Jennifer E.
Calgary., Alberta,

Dear FRONTLINE,

The horror and misery presented by Frontline has left me dumbfounded and sad. Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed that American leaders would ever allow such terrifiying acts to be committed. And this is how democracy is exported? Does freedom justify torture? We have now grown smaller as a nation. What a terrible shame.

lonnie ferguson
san francisco, california

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am absolutely disgusted. I had suspected that some of this was going on but this is sick. Subjecting people to hypothermia and keeping them alive -science and brutality coming together... There should be charges of war crimes against some of the people in the administration and in the army. No wonder there is an widespread insurgency in Iraq and the people there hate us.

Kevin Moraes
Fremont, California

Dear FRONTLINE,

When I was threatened and abused by people, when I was a kid, my parents told be to true to my own standards of behavior -- to act in accord with my own values, not those of the lowest common denominator. I was given a firm moral education on which to build a sense of integrity. That integrity has seen me through a lot of hard times, when it would have been easier to treat others badly than to stand tall for what I believe.

At a time when every institution seems to seek only the most expedient standard and when people of stature demean the very notion of human society, your steadfast, unflinching, and scrupulous reporting is a hard kind of comfort, but it is comfort, nonetheless. If we can preserve the standards you have so resolutely upheld, we will emerge a stronger people, more certain of who we are, in the world, and what it means to be American.

Thank you.

Jamie Wagoner
San Francisco, CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

Oh my God. The horror. The horror. How many terrorists have we killed at Guantanamo? Oh wait, ehhh... none. How many terrorists have we gassed, electrocuted, or hung at Guantanamo? Ehhh, gee, n-o-n-e. Drown? Nope. Sorry. NONE! Look, I'm not opposed to the Geneva Convention. It's a good thing. Sure there have been a few REAL abuses; there always have been during wartime. But they're hardly systemic and the offenders are punished. So for crying out loud, stop acting as if nakedness, sexual innuendo, intimidation by dogs, smacking around, and the horrific, denying of cigarettes is akin to us exterminating these terrorist scumbags. My favorite quote from this "documentary" was, "Spooky people were coming and going." Yeah, this's journalism at its finest. What a joke.

Kerry Kaatz
Compton, California

Dear FRONTLINE,

Just saw the show. I thought it attempted to paint the worse picture possible, while still being factual. Short of a last minute second hand description, at the end, Frontline was careful not to stretch the truth too far. I couldn't help but compare what we did to these prisoners to what's done to prisoners in other countries. We are not ruthless. Given that we're at war, we are not ruthless at all. This program was extrememly political in it's left leaning orientation. It may wash with uninformed viewers, but not with fair minded, informed people. I would even venture to say that those that were 'supposedly' tortured, are extremely aware of what Saddam Hussein did to his own people, resulting in a feeling that the USA is a different kind of country than Iraq, a better one.

George Marcolini

Dear FRONTLINE,

Holy cow!

It is great to finally see some journalistic strength dealing with this administration's destruction of some of our most cherished values. I believe that striving for honesty and integrity should be part of what America as a country should aspire to. It certainly is what we all SAY we aspire to.

Obviously some Americans, judging from our current leaders and some of the letters posted here, do not agree. They seem to feel that dishonesy and inhumanity is just fine when applied to people you do not favor.

Many Americans still can only view human respect through the narrow slit of prejudice. I am sad that much of the worst of our past is still very much with us today.

Randy Cartwright
La Canada, Ca.

Dear FRONTLINE,

This is an example of the very best in journalism. You will immediately be attacked by those that will say that is "not supporting the war on terrorism and the troops in the field", but that is completely wrong. The troops, not necessarily the ones currently under fire, but those in future conflicts, will suffer the consequences of our immoral and illegal actions. Your report was gripping in its intensity and truth. I commend PBS for its courage in this report. CBS and all the commercial networks should take note: the ghost of Edward R. Murrow rests with PBS now.

John Cecil
Magalia, CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

A great and revealing report. The actions of this administration do not reflect the will or the ambitions of the American people. Why have we not held, appropriately, those who are responsible for these attrocities. Impeachement was exercised when our last president lusted with a White House intern. Does not the deception and lies cast upon the American people by this administration, deserve at least legal denouncemnet for who they are and what they've done?

We better wake up.

Marvin Harrell
Huntington Beach, CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

For those of us who will not let this stand - cannot tolerate torture being committed in our name - there is more to do than write comments to Frontline.

The McCain Amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill is headed to conference committee with the house. Take a few minutes to send your representatives an e-mail. Demand the bill be passed with the amendment intact. Honor the courage of those who took the risk of speaking out. Take advantage of your freedoms they are fighting to protect. Take action. The American people can and must put a stop to this.

s brown
U.P., Michigan

Dear FRONTLINE,

Once again PBS has chosen to take to the defense of persons and groups who seek to do harm to Americans and other nations and peoples who have like minded ideals. We have been attacked repeatedly by Islamic radicals that have as their main desire being to turn the whole world muslim. In a theater of war what means that are deemed necessary to acquire information that will lead to the saving of lives here and abroad should remain in the domain of the military and those who have governing powers over the military. How PBS has come to see itself as the keeper of the keys of morality disturbs me. As I mentioned earlier we have been attacked repeatedly and thousands have paid with their lives because of the ideology of a small group of people whom you seemingly support more than your neighbors who have died.

Mike Ratliff
Oak Forest, Illinois

Dear FRONTLINE,

Life or Death, that is the question. Soldiers risk their lives daily every single time they go out side of the wire. Protecting this nation at all cost, even with some of their own lives. Of course there is confusion in the standards of interrogation and rules of engagement. These soldiers are scared for there lives. But bring us intelligence, its a life or death situation. But then again, don't break the rules. Which one is it going to be. Being a soldier who has been to Iraq twice since 2003, there is no way your going to be able to do both. Now the question is, get information by any means, or protect this prisoners human rights. And the choice that a young soldier is going to make is by any means, because they do not know any better. They are only following orders, and that is what good soldiers do. So should a good soldier be punished for follow orders, and carrying out those orders that they believe are the right things to do. Because their leadership would never have them do anything that would be illegal or against regulations. And that is what all of our soldiers are being told, follow orders,if not you will get your buddy killed. And that is the last thing any soldier would want to happen, is to let the person to his left or right down, or better yet get them killed. So we protect ourselves first, and ask questions later. We don't want to let our families, buddies, or America down. So it is by any means necessary...

Sandis Sullivan II
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Dear FRONTLINE,

Your program, at least in part, answers the question why the campaign to "win the heart and minds" isn't working, why the Iraqi populace at large supports an insurgency against an American presence that is officially there to help them. (Our generals concede now that the insurgency has indigenous support)

Those that write "I was surprised that this would air while our troops are in harms way." should note that while may be a surprise for viewers in America, surely it is not a surprise for the Iraqi public. If anything, it proves to the world that some Americans care about human rights, dignity and justice for all, as opposed to just for fellow Americans.

Also, it takes guts to do what you did, Frontline. And I hope there are no non-US citizens among this program's production staff. They could be deported under the Patriot Act which has blanket provisions authorizing govt action against (legal) non citizens ; this program could be uncontestably deemed by the administration as against the national interest and participation in it by immigrants be deemed grounds for summary deportation. The administration would not be required to prove its allegation in any court of law. (That could be the topic of another Frontline.)

Vic Kate
Dallas, Texas

Dear FRONTLINE,

I do not want to be "defended from terrorists" by my government by using terrorist tactics on detainees. I am apalled by the use of violence and torture by our military. Not only is what it does to the detainees abhorent, but also what it does to those inflicting torture on fellow human beings. What is the purpose of the Geneva Conventions if not to restrain nations from using these extremes in extreme conditions of war? A President who thinks he is above the law is as great a threat as any I can imagine.

Nancy Carter
Athens, Georgia