Dick Cheney has emerged as one of Obama’s most outspoken critics when it comes to the issue of using torture to extract information from terrorism suspects. He recently criticized Obama’s release of CIA memos outlining the use of torture, saying that it would compromise nation security. The terrorists, he said would know exactly what techniques CIA operatives could use to extract information, and therefore, their fear of capture would be lessened.
Sure.
First of all, time and again torture has proven to be a poor means of extracting information. Suspects will often make up information to escape another beating, and it’s hard to tell what’s true and what’s been concocted.
Secondly, torture is wrong. Period.
Third, I kinda doubt that a terrorist will keep silent, simply because they know they cannot be water-boarded. There are other techniques for extracting information that have been used by police forces across the nation for years which have proven to be extremely effective, even against cults and Mafia organizations that could like likened to jihadist cells.
To conclude, I just have to share this quote from Robert Gibbs, which, I feel, is a profoundly awesome burn. Said Mr. Gibbs:
“That policy disagreement is whether or not you can uphold the values in which this country was founded at the same time that you protect the citizens that live in that country. (The) president of the United States in this administration believes that you can. The vice president has come to, in our opinion, a different conclusion,” spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
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I think the discussion on torture should end at “Is it wrong?” I don’t care if it works or if there are alternatives. We were lied to about torture, which implies that obviously they knew it was wrong and that they knew we would have a fit if we knew what they were doing at the time.
This has a lot to do with an unfortunate, unacknowledged mentality which places people who are suspected or actually are terrorists into a group of “subhumans.” We don’t have to think about their suffering because we’re better than them. It’s the same rhetoric used for slavery and post slavery.
They’re people. They may not be people we like or people who like us, but they are still people and human beings. They deserve treatment that is befitting of a supposedly “civilized” western nation. If we really are supposed to be so advanced, then we should be setting an example, not sacrificing values for some bizarre believe that we’ll magically manage to get some info…
Rant over.
I absolutely agree with you SMD. It’s often said that there are no black or white issues in this world, but I think torture is an exception to that rule.
It’s just wrong. R-O-N-G. However, I think that the American public tacitly accepts it, and that’s illustrated in the popularity of 24, a show where the protagonist, Jack Bauer, regularly resorts to torturing his suspects.
I disagree that that is necessarily an example of acceptance so much as an example of curiosity and acceptance in media. There are likely a lot of people who would condemn torture who happen to love 24.
I love BSG, which shows torture quite a few times, sometimes rather graphically (w/o blood obviously). Yet I am also against its real use. TV perhaps gives us the avenue to see its use and contemplate the “gray” area it seems to present.
But, when it comes down to it, it’s not just wrong morally, it’s wrong according to numerous laws both national and international…*sigh*