Waterboarding..Interrogation or Torture?(video)

[SirLoin]

Is waterboarding an acceptable method of interrogation or is it torture?

John Ashcroft thinks it's "acceptable"

http://cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/17/ashcroft.waterboarding/index.html


Feared political pugilist,and #1 best selling author(& ardent supporter of Iraq war effort) Christopher Hitchens walks the plank to find out.(video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuhJUmR4B6Q


What do you think?It is very effective as you can see...Does the "ends justify the means?"..

Should this method be used on someone not yet convicted of a crime?..And as mentioned,what if you get the wrong person?

I personally think it should be part of sentencing AFTER someone is convicted of a "Terrorist & murderist" act.

[2bighorn]

I personally think it should be part of sentencing AFTER someone is convicted of a "Terrorist & murderist" act.

Why after? Either you're against, or you aren't.

[Rich46yo]

What do you think?It is very effective as you can see...Does the "ends justify the means?"..

Against terrorists? Yes!

Any American, who isn't a lawyer, that wants to sound like a lawyer about it, go look at some Al Qaeda beheading videos to stiffen your spine.

I wish we could drown them all. As far as Im concerned we should give every terrorist one trial in front of a military tribunal and if found guilty hang them the following morning.

[SirLoin]

Why after? Either you're against, or you aren't.

Well then i guess i'm "for" it .

[Torque]

it just shows that the christian and muslim extremists have more in common than differences..

[2bighorn]

Whether are we for or against, it's prohibited. See 18 U.S.C. § 2340

“torture” means an act committed by a person acting under the color of law specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering (other than pain or suffering incidental to lawful sanctions) upon another person within his custody or physical control;

and

Whoever outside the United States commits or attempts to commit torture shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both, and if death results to any person from conduct prohibited by this subsection, shall be punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life.

and

Jurisdiction.— There is jurisdiction over the activity prohibited in subsection (a) if—
(1) the alleged offender is a national of the United States; or
(2) the alleged offender is present in the United States, irrespective of the nationality of the victim or alleged offender.

We also ratified United Nations Convention Against Torture which says:

1. For the purposes of this Convention, the term "torture" means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions.

So...

[DYNAMITE]

It's torture... no question in my book...

And it used to be no question in America's book too... I've pointed this out before - after WWII the USA tried, convicted, and EXECUTED 8 Japanese officers for the WAR CRIME of Waterboarding...

I'm not naive enough to believe that the US never did this sort of thing before... I'm just not comfortable with the idea that this is now SOP.

[Hazzer]

 It's torture,and the best recruiting Sargent their is for potential terrorists.In Northern ireland harsh  treatment of terrorist suspects gave rise to an increase in IRA membership.

  Telling the world your morally superior while dishing out this sort of treatment,shows hypocrisy of the worst sort,it shows the USA in a negative light and can not help if your trying to spread Democracy and Justice.

 Their are prisoners at Guantanamo that would love a Trial,military or civil.

[BnZ]

Torture?

IMO, its close enough that I don't want the United States to be known for it.

Let me give you a little truth: On the battlefield,  and in the backrooms, things have always happened out of pragmatic nessecity that aren't exactly legal. I know a guy who fought in Vietnam. They took two viet cong up in a helicopter. After they threw the first one out, the second was talkative. I don't like this sort of thing, nor do I loose sleep over them, but when the powers-that-be start trying to make this fact publically and legally acceptable, instead of something hush-hush, our country's values are getting very screwed up. And I think it is another part of a "boil the frog slowly" campaign to get Americans to gradually accept greater and greater levels of tyranny without rebellion.

[texasmom]

I'm for waterboarding 100%.

[ROC]

Should this method be used on someone not yet convicted of a crime?

Convicted of a crime?  So, the Marines get shot, level a building, pull the attackers out in a military engagement, and what...put them on trial??

LMAO

I've got a far better solution for the guys out there doing the hard job.  Quit messing around with these liberal twits, forget taking prisoners, just shoot the guys shooting at you and be done with them.

[Elfie]

I'm against torture of any kind. What ever happened to the so called truth serums? Aren't those supposed to be more effective anyways?

This particular guy didn't last long at all did he? I don't suppose I would last any longer though without a darn good reason to. 

[SOB]

It's torture and unacceptable.  I have no desire to watch terrorist kidnappers slice off a guy's head.  Nor would I have any desire to watch our own soldiers terrorize a prisoner.  I find it sad that any other Americans would find it acceptable.  I find it simply deplorable that our President would condone this behavior.

[Baitman]

It's torture and unacceptable.  I have no desire to watch terrorist kidnappers slice off a guy's head.  Nor would I have any desire to watch our own soldiers terrorize a prisoner.  I find it sad that any other Americans would find it acceptable.  I find it simply deplorable that our President would condone this behavior.

If they find it an acceptable way of getting information then soon you would find it used by the government against its own people. Say good by to you civil liberties.

[Yeager]

it just shows that the christian and muslim extremists have more in common than differences..

Yeah, simulated drowning is right up there with murderous beheading