Vietnamese children at a grave site for villagers who were killed during a Navy SEAL raid 32 years ago in the Mekong Delta. Unlike Kerrey, who says memories of his part in the killing of unarmed women and children in Vietnam at times made him feel deeply depressed, even suicidal, General Aussaresses coolly claims he's not troubled by what he did as a high-ranking military officer, and coordinator of the French intelligence services during the Battle of Algiers in 1957. There were threats of bomb attacks on all sides. I needed information, to gain time, and I couldn't afford to hesitate. Torture is very effective.
Most people break and talk.
Afterwards, for the most part, we would finish them off. Individual human lives count little for me, including my own. I was tough on my enemies, but also on myself. More importantly, he said his actions were justified because he was operating with the full knowledge and backing of the French government. Chirac urged that the general be stripped of the Legion of Honor.