Torture

In which I discuss the recent news of Bush era (error) torture memos and what should be done about them.

Articles you may wish to check out on the subject.

Allies splitting with the US:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6169041.ece

US interpreter who committed suicide after taking part in torture:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/us-interpreter-who-witnes...

Christopher Hitchens view of the CIA:
http://www.slate.com/id/2217002/

FBI agent on torture:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/5231507/FBI-agent-...

Inside the US Torture Machine:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2009/0425/1224245355009.html

Videos about the techniques used:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLL7O9hIloA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ1NYizv2sw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82UhJ_eVOzs

Opposing views welcomed.

Category:

News & Politics

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• W.
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• Cheney
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• torture
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• Matthias
• Farland

[new01]

Morality is allot more complex than you make it seem. It's not about what what you you do but why you did it and your ultimate intentions. On that note: I had myself waterboarded and it didn't make me feel like I was drowning, I just got some water up my nose towards the end. Bugs + small places = Fear Factor(minus the possible prize) = Not torture.

[MatthiasFarland]

True, I am being reductionist and oversimple. However, enclosing someone in a small space with something of which they have a phobia is psychological torture. Please search YouTube for videos on waterboarding, there's one involving Christopher Hitchens and another put out by Amnesty International.

[Sean2046]

oh and about water boarding. it most certainly is torture from what i've read about it. christopher hitchens said it wasn't torture, he volunteered to have water boarding done on him and he changed his mind.

[MatthiasFarland]

And Christopher Hitchens is a man we can trust!

"Christopher Hitchens, he can't be president, but he should be."

Paid for by the Christopher Hitchens for President foundation. We know we're unrealistic; we just have to hope.

[lisauben]

On the other hand, didn't the USA learn about the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq from information gathered through torture?

Oh.... wait... there weren't any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

 Still, what was the harm? (Dear Lord, PLEASE let them sense the sad sarcasm that that statement is dripping with).

[wiskawind]

The torture of any living thing is appalling to me and I feel it is an inhuman act; it is also a War Crime under international law

Bush and Company committed War Crimes against the American people and against humanity; they also committed treason by torturing in OUR countrys name, without OUR permission.

As far as I am concerned, Bush and all his henchmen should be brought to answer for these crimes, or we are little more than a Nation of Hypocrites!

[new01]

I never said I didn't think they should have done it, anything that cuases severe panic in interrogations is bound to lead to false information. I had seen the Chris Hitchens video and that is what made me want to try waterboarding to see if it was really like that. I'm all for more peacful aproaches to situations, being a pacifist I rarely even raise my voice at anyone who has upset me. Life is to short to cuase problems for other people even if they inconvinience you.

[sobebella]

fair enough, cant say i blame you, i can barely support it myself, its a horribal thing, but then again some of these people are horribal people, and if its in the name of saving inoccent lives, im ok with it, but if there are better methods, then use them first of corse.

[MatthiasFarland]

I can not agree with that.

[sobebella]

yes, because every one will react diffrently to torture, and we have to do what we have to do to protect inoccent lives, weather it means torturing or what ever.

[MatthiasFarland]

I still can't agree with it as it has never been shown to gain reliable information. Even if the terrorist knew where a bomb was that was going to kill millions, he is less likely to reveal the information under torture than under other, more reputable forms of interrogation.