Right and Wrong on Torture
The debate about torture – or “enhanced interrogation methods,” if you prefer – has swamped the Obama administration a bit, as this Politico article discusses. Many different pieces of the fallout are covered in a Washington Post blog post, including the release of a Senate Armed Services Committee report.
Congress has seen a few bills introduced on the subject. H.R. 374, the Lawful Interrogation and Detention Act and its counterpart S. 147 would limit the use of certain interrogation techniques, prohibit interrogation by contractors, and require notification of the International Committee of the Red Cross of detainees.
H.R. 893, the American Anti-Torture Act of 2009, would bar any treatment or technique of interrogation not authorized by and listed in the United States Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations.
H.R. 591, the Interrogation and Detention Reform Act, “would improve United States capabilities for gathering human intelligence through the effective interrogation and detention of terrorist suspects and for bringing terrorists to justice through effective prosecution in accordance with the principles and values set forth in the Constitution and other laws.”
So what’s the right and wrong on torture?
Danelle Zacharias
If our enemies attack us, we have the right to dunk their heads in water and scare them to get info. We don’t pull their arms out of socket, or their fingernails out. Shame shame for making them stand up naked. I want my family protected, BY ANY MEANS
Danelle Zacharias
These particular enemies are chopping our soldiers heads off on video and slaughtering their own people. We are not going to change our IMAGE IN THE WORLD by treating them with OUR standard of civility. Give them treatment they understand. DEFEND OUR LIBERTY AND WAY OF LIFE.
Watcher
How many treaties have we made with other countries of which they do not abide by? Enhanced interrogation methods are necessary to extract vital information from our enemies. Islamic extremists, terrorists, etc are trained not to give information. You think sitting there and asking them again and again will get any results. NO. The american constitutions and the rights it grants are for AMERICAN CITIZENS only. I don’t care what the geneva convention dictates or the foundation of a new world order it lays out. As long as these methods are not used against US citizens its ok with me.
Watcher
One more thing, if the The American Anti-Torture Act of 2009 is passed and only the use of methods as outlined by the Army field manual are allowed, we in essence give a blue print to our enemies on how to subvert these techniques, thus in effect making them useless if the ENEMY ALREADY KNOWS ITS COMING!!!
Watcher
http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/library/policy/army/fm/fm34-52/
Here is the outline that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere, anytime…
Dibsz Lady Lucksz!
Interrogation and Torture, one of the hottest topics of America presently. But the big question is, it Right or Wrong. There are many Americans who feel that its okay to Interrogate and torture people. Others fell though it is wrong. But I am neutral about this situation. I feel thought it is okay to someone to torture a terriost to a certain degree but to pull their arms out of socket, or their fingernails out thats so wrong!
Interrogation in my head is a whole different story in my head. I feel thought that Interrogating some one is perfectly fine. You have to get the information out of the terriost or the attacker. So yes, I am neutral about Torture and Okay with Interrogation!
Jack Wolf
Ms. Zacharias:
The issue with torture is not related to the nature of our enemies but what we choose to say of our selves. Others might choose to be beasts but I choose not to be one.
From a practical standpoint, I see no better tool for recruitment for the terrorists than behaviour like Abu Ghraib. Whatever intelligence might be gained by torture is overwhelmingly offset by relinquishing the moral high ground.
President Bush brought us to the nadir of American respect in the world. In countries like Turkey and Pakistan, approval of the US hovers below 20%. You might ask who cares, but this is the recruitment ground for Al Queyedah. A small percentage of those that hate us will resort to violence. If you double the number that hates us, you will double the number that will attack us. BY MORAL MEANS ONLY.