Torture, a tool of Sadism
Last fall, ABC News reported that procedures used by C.I.A. interrogators included forcing prisoners to stand, handcuffed with their feet shackled to an eye bolt in the floor for more than 40 hours and water boarding, which induces a terrifying fear of drowning.
In civilized countries, evidence obtained by torture is inadmissible in a court of law. The Supreme Court has ruled that the Geneva Convention applies to prisoners seized by the Bush regime.
Jack Rice a former C.I.A. operations officer claims that torture is a tool of sadism. It will get information, but not the truthful information that we need. The reason the C.I.A. had interrogation standards was that they wanted reliable evidence, which was admissible in a court of law.
Torture make matters worse, because it encourages detainees, who may be on the fence to hate us and those that already hate us will hate us more. Torture also produces misinformation, because its victims are desperate to end the pain and will tell interrogators whatever they want to hear. Often our government ends up doing the terrorists’ work for them, by spreading inaccurate threat information that scares Americans. This has happened many times. The worst part is that when there’s a real threat, we’re apt to ignore it.
The reason Bush is trying to get Congress to pass his plan to interrogate terror suspects is that he needs it to keep important cases from falling apart and provide a cover for higher-ups who have condoned torture.
The claim that changes in the law are needed in order to protect soldiers and ordinary interrogators in the field against war crimes accusations is humbug. Clear guidelines currently exist for dealing with military and civilian interrogators who abuse prisoners. The Abu Ghraib prosecutions are a good example.
The people who would have to worry about war crimes having been committed are those at the top of the command structure, including Clinton, who ordered illegal procedures to be carried out and turned a blind eye to atrocities.
The fundamental goal of the Bush regime is to eliminate all limits on his power. Torture appeals to the Bush and Cheney because it violates the law. By making an illegal and immoral practice a policy, they’re asserting their right to do whatever they claim is necessary.
House Republicans continue to be a rubber stamp and will vote in favor of any plan Bush wants. They want voters to believe that the difference between them and Democrats are that Republicans are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect America.
For political gain, they will allow the Bush regime to pick up foreign citizens; torture them and prosecute them with secret evidence. They will deny terror suspects, even those facing the death penalty, the right to see all the evidence against them.
The term “illegal enemy combatant” is so broadly defined that the Bush regime could apply it to almost any foreigner. Judicial review will not be allowed and those acquitted by a military tribunal can be held indefinitely.
"They that would give up essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Ben Franklin
In civilized countries, evidence obtained by torture is inadmissible in a court of law. The Supreme Court has ruled that the Geneva Convention applies to prisoners seized by the Bush regime.
Jack Rice a former C.I.A. operations officer claims that torture is a tool of sadism. It will get information, but not the truthful information that we need. The reason the C.I.A. had interrogation standards was that they wanted reliable evidence, which was admissible in a court of law.
Torture make matters worse, because it encourages detainees, who may be on the fence to hate us and those that already hate us will hate us more. Torture also produces misinformation, because its victims are desperate to end the pain and will tell interrogators whatever they want to hear. Often our government ends up doing the terrorists’ work for them, by spreading inaccurate threat information that scares Americans. This has happened many times. The worst part is that when there’s a real threat, we’re apt to ignore it.
The reason Bush is trying to get Congress to pass his plan to interrogate terror suspects is that he needs it to keep important cases from falling apart and provide a cover for higher-ups who have condoned torture.
The claim that changes in the law are needed in order to protect soldiers and ordinary interrogators in the field against war crimes accusations is humbug. Clear guidelines currently exist for dealing with military and civilian interrogators who abuse prisoners. The Abu Ghraib prosecutions are a good example.
The people who would have to worry about war crimes having been committed are those at the top of the command structure, including Clinton, who ordered illegal procedures to be carried out and turned a blind eye to atrocities.
The fundamental goal of the Bush regime is to eliminate all limits on his power. Torture appeals to the Bush and Cheney because it violates the law. By making an illegal and immoral practice a policy, they’re asserting their right to do whatever they claim is necessary.
House Republicans continue to be a rubber stamp and will vote in favor of any plan Bush wants. They want voters to believe that the difference between them and Democrats are that Republicans are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect America.
For political gain, they will allow the Bush regime to pick up foreign citizens; torture them and prosecute them with secret evidence. They will deny terror suspects, even those facing the death penalty, the right to see all the evidence against them.
The term “illegal enemy combatant” is so broadly defined that the Bush regime could apply it to almost any foreigner. Judicial review will not be allowed and those acquitted by a military tribunal can be held indefinitely.
"They that would give up essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Ben Franklin
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