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US Ban on torture - good or bad?
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While I hate the thought of people being tortured, I wonder if it is a times necessary in order to extract information from individuals in order to prevent harm to thousands of people.

The concern I have is whether the power holders have the ability to exercise the "off" switch and fully understand where the acceptable boundary lies.

Thoughts?

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Adrian in Vancouver
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Re: US Ban on torture - good or bad? [AJHull] [ In reply to ]
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While I hate the thought of people being tortured, I wonder if it is a times necessary in order to extract information from individuals in order to prevent harm to thousands of people.

It is a dangerous slope when you allow torture to extract information and should not be allowed. First, you open our military to face the same treatment and we, as a nation, should not fall to their level of behavior. Second, there is no way of knowing if the information you extract is truthful or said only to stop the torture.

The concern I have is whether the power holders have the ability to exercise the "off" switch and fully understand where the acceptable boundary lies.

The boundary has to be set at no torture. We have seen too many examples of interrogators getting carried away and taking things to an extreme. We can't do anything we want under the disguise of terror prevention. Terror is going to always be with us and we have to focus on our intelligence and working with other countries to prevent attacks, not torturing some who may or may not have the information we want.

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You sir, are my new hero! - Trifan 11/13/2008

Casey, you are a wise man - blueraider_mike 11/13/2008

Casey, This is an astute observation. - Slowbern 11/17/2008
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Re: US Ban on torture - good or bad? [Casey] [ In reply to ]
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Please give me an example of Americans not being tortured when they were held as POW's?

I am not advocating torture, but our enemies are going to use it. How many videos have we seen where an American or an Iraqi working for the coalition has been beheaded or just shot?
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Re: US Ban on torture - good or bad? [NeedMoreEngine] [ In reply to ]
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I am not advocating torture, but our enemies are going to use it. How many videos have we seen where an American or an Iraqi working for the coalition has been beheaded or just shot?

I'm not saying others are not torturing us but that doesn't mean we have to. John McCain was tortured and he is opposed to it, which is the way we should be. We are supposed to be examples of freedom and democracy and stand above those actions. If we are going to go into other countries show them what freedom and democracy are like, we have to act differently, or what's the point.

__________________________________________________

You sir, are my new hero! - Trifan 11/13/2008

Casey, you are a wise man - blueraider_mike 11/13/2008

Casey, This is an astute observation. - Slowbern 11/17/2008
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Re: US Ban on torture - good or bad? [Casey] [ In reply to ]
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Well then it comes down to how you define torture. Getting people inot a naked period is a joke. What happened to McCain was torture. There has to be a clearly defined list of what someone can do and what they cannot do. In my book, something that casues temporary pain, and causes no permanant damage, is not torture and is permissable. If it doesn't fit that description you just don't do it.

What say you?
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Re: US Ban on torture - good or bad? [NeedMoreEngine] [ In reply to ]
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There has to be a clearly defined list of what someone can do and what they cannot do.

I agree on this but have no idea how to define it. It's one of those things that are hard to define but you know it when you see (or feel) it.

In my book, something that casues temporary pain, and causes no permanant damage, is not torture and is permissable.

I think that would be hard to implement because temporary could be 20 years and it's even more difficult defining "damage."

I don't want to be on the committee that tries to deal with this.

__________________________________________________

You sir, are my new hero! - Trifan 11/13/2008

Casey, you are a wise man - blueraider_mike 11/13/2008

Casey, This is an astute observation. - Slowbern 11/17/2008
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Re: US Ban on torture - good or bad? [Casey] [ In reply to ]
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Me neither.
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Re: US Ban on torture - good or bad? [Casey] [ In reply to ]
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Actually what McCain said that in principle and law there needs to be a no torture stance. However when there is 'a situation' for example a homeland security imminent threat, then those given the job to protect our country and citizens may really need to resort to some harsh interrogation techniques. Doing so they would be answerable. And depending on the circumstances they should be dealt with accordingly.

Which pretty much says that McCain is in favour of flexibility despite the need to adopt the correct principle. Which is pretty indicative of McCain as a man who pretty much considers the whole picture.
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Re: US Ban on torture - good or bad? [AJHull] [ In reply to ]
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You really think a simple law is going to change all of the interrogation techniques of our Intelligence Agencies?

My guess is that it becomes "illegal", but nothing really changes.
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Re: US Ban on torture - good or bad? [AJHull] [ In reply to ]
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I've been told that torture is not helpful--people being tortured may say anything to stop the torture.

I think I'd like to see some sort of truth serum put to use. Any thoughts on truth serum?
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Re: US Ban on torture - good or bad? [Bill Young] [ In reply to ]
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truth serum...yes, I have heard of it. It works wonders. It is usually in the form of 24 hours of bright lights flashing techno stylee and Metallica playing as loud as possible, then 24 hours of darkness with just a high pitched whistle over the speakers, the entire 24 hours. A person really learns the truth and the meaning of life then. And never take what a person says as truth until after 3 or 4 doses of this truth serum.



Disclaimer: Not recommended to use if you think your spouse or child is lying to you. Also I do not promote nor inhibit the use of torture I am merely a creative writer with a bicycling problem.;)
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