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Use of Torture Report on United States
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Use of Torture Report on United States |
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Bob K Member Elite
since 2007-11-03
Posts 4208 |
I found a link to two Amnesty USA reports. I'm having trouble getting their web site to recall these articles, but I've given the links below on the chance that you'll be able to do better than I can. I did not like the information I found for many reasons. I won't try to pretend there's anybody out there who's actually in favor of serious political torture and I won't try to cram anybody into that mold. I figure that most everybody thinks it's to be used as a potential life-saving last resort or some such. Having gotten no place with the above, which I've erased, I'm going to try the following: http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGAMR510122008&lang=e The American branch of Amnesty has to my mind gotten too mixed up with American internal politics. The power of the organization I believe used to come from having a mountain of letters from everyplace else in the world but your own country land in the laps of your country's government, letting them know that that world was watching. Amnesty in America, these days, has let itself be seduced into sounding like any other critical voice, and has, I'm afraid, lost much of its authority in that way. It should not be this way. Prisoners of Conscience and victims of oppression have traditionally been concerns of Americans, left and right. Many of the most vocal supporters of the conventions against torture have been military, and folks of conscience on the right. These are traditional conservative values as well as liberal values: They are overarching American values. I'm not going to ask folks who support my values alone to write to their representatives. I would like them to, of course. But if people having other points of view have things to say, much as it pains me, they should probably be aired as well. Actually, I want them to. And I'd like to know what everybody thinks about this stuff in general. To be clear in starting off, I'm against torture for any reason. I believe it's simply a bad thing. I think we've prosecuted people for it in the past with excellent reasons and that morality hasn't undergone a hundred and eighty degree shift since then. I'd love to hear comments. I call your attention to the interesting bibliography of articles with links at the foot of the article I've at last gotten hooked up here. [This message has been edited by Bob K (02-12-2008 10:49 PM).] |
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Huan Yi Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688Waukegan |
. "serious political torture" ? As far as waterboarding is concerned I think the response is apt to be influenced by how close you feel you or your loved ones are to ground zero. Harry Truman for example openly and repeatedly expressed no regrets over approving the bomb on Hiroshima, (which among others killed ten thousand soldiers and wiped out the regional military command center), but he was thinking as commander and chief of forces composed of sons, husbands, and fathers who were expected to suffer horrendous casualties in an invasion of Japan. Be honest, if waterboarding was believed able to avoid 911 and yet had then been expressly forbidden by Bush he, (or a Clinton), would have been impeached in a heartbeat, then to spend the rest of his natural life under heavy gaurd. The question is does one think we are in a war? The answer is critical. . [This message has been edited by Huan Yi (02-17-2008 02:12 PM).] |
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Bob K Member Elite
since 2007-11-03
Posts 4208 |
"Serious political torture" is a stupid phrase for me to use. I'm sorry. As you know, I'm personally against torture for any reason. But I'm glad to hear your point of view. As I said above: quote: If you've had time to look at the article, I'd like very much to hear your response to that as well. Thanks, Huan Yi. Yours, BobK. |
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