Last month I wrote that the interrogation techniques used by our Soliders and Marines is not torture, despite what the Left would have you believe.
Sadly, the Left believes that the men and women of the US Military are capable of the types of gratuitous pain and gore that defines torture. Saying our soldiers commit acts of torture when they don’t? Doesn’t sound much like “supporting” the troops to me.
And now Senator John McCain wants to outlaw torture that is already outlawed, and which is not practiced by our military. Why?
Blanton at Red State.org wrote:
Now, because he was a prisoner of war who was tortured, he has decided to take moral high ground on how the United States treats enemy terrorists, though the United States does not torture terrorists.
Joey Jo Jo Junior Shabadoo (not his real name), a commentor at RedState.org wants to know how to define torture:
Where exactly is the line drawn between torture and non-torture? I see a lot of people making unequivocal statements that we do not torture without doing anything to actually justify that statement.
Another commentor, mbecker908, describes what torture is NOT:
Waterboarding is not torture. The person being questioned is made to think they are being drowned.
Sleep deprivation is not torture. You keep the target awake for long periods of intense (verbal, no physical contact is necessary) questioning. Let them nod off for a while. Wake them and continue questioning.
Sensory deprivation is not torture. Keep the target in a closed environment where they have no realization of night and day. Alter their meal schedule. Take away their clothing and furniture.
Humiliation is not torture. Lots of ways to do this, none require physical violence. Things like a Muslim being questioned by a woman.
These are quite effective (ask any SERE grad). Torture, which is not as effective, inflicts pain in large doses. Typically is a “contact sport” that uses objects like knives, pliers, dental drills, electrical outlets and the like.
“Torture methods” expect to extract information immediately, based on the target’s desire to stop the pain. The methods outlined above extract information over time because the target becomes disoriented and his ability to resist questioning by either lying or ignoring the question is reduced.
Senator McCain was subjected to some very real torture while a POW. But not the kind of torture the victims of Saddam Hussein have been subjected too — evidenced by the fact that Sen. McCain is still alive. But just because Sen. McCain was tortured by his captors, and just because Saddam and al Qaeda torture and behead their captives…does not mean that our soliders are also torturing their prisoners. To accuse our soliders of torture is unpatriotic at the least…and when done by Senators and Congressmen, is bordering on treason.
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If you are against torture in all circumstances I would love to know why? What is the motivation? Do you truly believe that never works? I am truly curious. More on this subject can be found here, here,here, here, and here. Update: Scott Adams asks more questions in a follow-up here. Here are two more that confuse me. If you think that torture doesn’t work, why does interrogation work? No one doubts that plain old interrogation (torture lite) often
[...] John Mcain is not the only person trying to minimize what “torture” really is [...]
Dilbert On Torture
In line with my co-blogger’s recent post on spying, Scott Adams (The creator of Dilbert and co-owner of the most wonderful restaurant Stacey’s a stones throw from my apartment in downtown Pleasanton) has a few questions about the usefulness of tortu…
about torture, does any-one out there in computer land besides me, that has so little income for all his /her hard work, that the only recreation you can afford is to write about the crap the media feeds us about those politicians corrupt day-time lives and or lies?
well if you are reading this, can you tell me why the media is only focusing on these tid-bit up and down-around and round “items of the day”? if you did not figure it out yet, it is because they dont have lives in the media, we are being used to sell the old u.s. g.o.p. tactical stall lie manuver, while they all have parties and us foolish taxpayers are stuck obeying laws that the rich people are making up daily.
yes, the answer is alex trebeck-those was not eyeglasses he wore, for 50 bucks off your taxes, name the correct answer….or what? thats about all the sense any one can make from this administration. and worse yet, if you dare post this on your blog-they will credit you for uncovering the kennedy assasination. but thanks-my fingers was cramped.