by Jim » Sat Jul 16, 2011 7:27 am
The primary definition of torture: “anguish of body or mind: AGONY: something that causes agony or pain.” Obviously, the subject is so susceptible to being just what anyone says it is that it’s hard to come up with a statement regarding what any “torture” action is. A student sent to the principle’s office for an offense, real or imagined, suffers anguish of mind in dreading the encounter and may suffer anguish of body (pain) if corporeally punished. Yet, this has been standard procedure in days gone by and remains so, depending on the school district. The infliction of discomfort applied in this case has always been referenced as discipline, certainly not torture. Ditto for discipline within the family.
Imprisonment itself probably causes anguish of mind (not to mention prison-food), except perhaps for the people for whom it’s a way of life, so should it be discontinued as too insensitive to be “American?” The production of some sort of “agony” is always the aim of disciplinary action; otherwise, it would not be used as a tool for guarding against anarchy.
This leaves one with having to decide how people known or suspected of having information that could save lives should be treated. In nearly, if not all, countries in/with which the U.S. has had conflicts, the subject of torture is of no importance, notwithstanding any “legal” document such as issued by the UN or through Geneva Convention instruments. This totally negates the argument that the U.S. should not use “torture” so that U.S. POWs will not be tortured. Torture is a way of life for enemies of the U.S., who laugh at any document that attempts to control their actions. If they do not mistreat Americans, it’s because of the fear of reprisal, and they don’t care what this country does to any of their people captured by the U.S., especially since they often do not hesitate to treat their own citizens/soldiers in horrific ways. The Muslims are a good example.
I believe that anything short of physical injury or death is allowable – sleep deprivation, temporary withholding of food, loud noise, dread, solitary confinement, uncomfortable positions, water-boarding, anything short of a cat-o-nine-tails. The objective of interrogation is the production of enough mostly mental agony to convince the prisoner that his silence is not worth it. Even Khalid, who was water-boarded (obviously neither injured nor killed) a number of times decided it wasn’t worth it, and he delivered much information, even though he knew or at least highly suspected he would not be injured or killed. He also knew that U.S. law disallowed actual torture or death. His collegiate education was acquired in North Carolina. The caterwauling about alleged torture, especially in this forum, is silly. It’s doubtful that most Americans pay it much attention, and if the lives of Obama’s family depended on extracting information from an individual, he would not hesitate – nor would I and most people in this forum – to break out the lash, electric current or whatever else might do the job. This points to HYPOCRISY with respect to the caterwauling.