Why America and other countries should not Torture
68
- Reasons the Death Penalty should be abolished
First and foremost the death penalty is a barbaric act of murder. We teach our children very early on that two wrongs do not make a right. The crime of murder carries our harshest of sentences such is...
There has been a lot written in the last couple of years about torture. Especially the torture of detainees. detainees we are told are suspects in the war on terror. Yet despite six years in Detention most if not almost all of the detainees have yet to be charged with any criminal or military offence. Why is that ?
During World war 2 it was determined by American jurists that Japanese Water torture was that torture and yet here we are some 50 years later arguing whether or not water-boarding is torture...
One of the things we all hold as being true in a western democracy is the rule of law and the right to a fair trial. As well it has been proven for a very long time now that if you torture someone you will not extract the truth. Rather someone the recipient of the torture will tell you a story, any story in order to make the torture stop.
During the second world war & had a distant cousin who was held by the Japanese and was tortured. His job was to help build a road to the Burma Railway. During this times he was often sick malnourished and was tortured by the Japanese Guards. A guard would repeated use a truncheon on the top of his head if he as much glanced in the wrong direction.
After the war my cousin returned to England a broken man. He never recovered he repeatedly tried to take his own life untill eventually he was locked up permanently in a lunatic asylum.
Some of the proponent so far torture such as former Vice-President of the United States Dick Cheney have argued that torture works and that it has prevented Terrorist attacks we have we are told to take him at his word. Even though they were wrong so very wrong about Iraq possessions weapons of mass-destruction which posed an imminent anfd immediate threat to the United States.
There are a number of reasons other than moral ones why America should not torture. The first is that if Americans torture other non United States citizens then American soldiers serving overseas are themselves put at risk or being tortured or killed by those supporting the detainees that have been tortured. Secondly it is widely known that false confessions occur when you torture. Amnesty International and the International Red Cross have pointed this out to the United States authorities. Thirdly in fighting the war on terror torturing will have the very opposite desired effect. Torture will be used as a recruitment tool against the United States by those recruiting and seeking sympathy for Terrorist organisations and the like.
PrintShare it! — Rate it: up down flag this hub
Comments
Well it would be great if all shared your view. Thanks for your comment !
I'm sorry to say I disagree with much of what you wrote here. There is documented proof that the info gained from Khalid-Sheik-Mohammed AFTER he was waterboarded provided valuable intel that probably saved lives. If the current administration in this country had ANY common sense at all, they would realize that the public disclosure of these facts puts innocent lives in danger. War is an ugly and brutal business, and I'm sure there are many happenings that would be quite chilling to know. If classified info were kept classified and not smeared all over the media outlets to try and besmirch our former administration, we would be safer. Like it or not, the USA does try to be a "good guy". We do keep our word. We don't attack innocent civilians (9-11-01) because we don't approve of their government. Also, I don't recall any internet videos of US troops whacking off the heads of journalists and others simply because of their nationality or religion
Well it is always America who's at fault for every thing. But do tell me that no one else does any torture. I don't believe on it, but if I were a cop I would love to be able to torture convicted pedophiles and rapists along with serial killers. Don't think I would, but I'd sure want to.
We are all tempted by actso of retribution when it comes to imposing Justice. However thye distinction is that we do not behave in the same way the offenders behaved !
I don't like the idea of torturing the detainees without proper conviction and evidence.Many detainees are innocent,not all are the terrorists.Are there any civilized people who support torturing of innocents?No.As a matter of fact without proper evidence no one should be tortured to a certain extent.I think time has come for thinking about alternatives of torturing to get the truth from criminals.We must ensure the right of fair trial for everyone in this world.
There's a definite correlation between torture and capital punishment. People who favor torture will generally favor capital punishment because they always think torture and capital punishment will be inflicted upon someone else -- not them!
I agree obviously William for thepro supprters of torture & Capital Punishment they should look up
The Innocence Project.
this is very thought provoking. Well done!
When a person masterminds a plot that kills 3000 , I have no sympathy for them. And giving them a timeout and making them sit In a corner Is not gonna do a thing . I am not crazy about torturing people either , but we are talking about people who strap bombs to themselves and kill their own . On this one you are totally wrong !
And as far as the death penalty goes , killing a proven child molester Is to me justice . We just had an Incident here In the US of a man who held a gal In captivity for 18 years . And he had a track record of this type of behavior since the early 70s . If he gets killed this world will be better off without him . I am a compassionate man as I sure you are , but compassion has to be directed properly. Not one of these violators deserves an ounce of compassion !
tony0724
during the second world war everyone was masterminding the death of another nation including Churchill. Why the Japanese were shot after being convicted of water torture not unlike water-boarding which was carried out until recently at Guantanamo Bay & other secret places of rendition...
Big thumbs up to the death penalty. It definitely assures that that offender will not commit another crime. Honestly, I don't believe many people who are first time offenders are sentenced to death. Like it or not, the cops USUALLY (not always) get the right guy.
As for torture, we must get intel some way. I know the left in this country truly is naive enough to believe that we can and should make nice with these terrorists. The problem is that these terrorists will agree to anything and tell you exactly what you want to hear. Then they do whatever they had planned in the first place (Remember Chamberlain's agreement with the Nazi's before Germany started WWII?). I am really confused by how anyone thinks that these American hating scumbags deserve any consideration at all. The US constitution applies to US citizens. Most of these pricks aren't even Americans!!!! How can they deserve the same rights as us?
WWII ? Apples and oranges Barry !
I disagree Tony..A war crime is a war crime we are fighting a war on terror !
But by your standards Barry we should not fight at all . We should just give them a stern lecture . Regardless of the fact that these are guys who hide behind women and children and blow up their own people ! It Is chronicled every day In the media .
tony0724
No not by my standards at the moment the United Statees has this as it's current legacy. An invasion of Iraqwhich was not poart of 9/11 an invasion of Afghanistan even though many of the poeple involved in 9/11 came from Saudi Arabia. The war on terror has killed many afghani civilians through careless and indisctrimate bombing campaign . you had several hundred detainees collected by bounty hunters for the cIA and rentioned around the world then held in Guantanamo Bay with out charger for over six yars. many hundreds have beenreleased with out charge only a handful have been charged with the vague offence as guving material support to terrorism by training with Al Qaeda. Many were waterborded & sleep deprived...
And many have returned to their previous occupation , terrorism ! I do not like bombing and I do not like torture either . I wished we lived In a world where that was not necessary , but guess what ? Many former detainees are back to killing again . And like I said most of the killing Is terrorist killing their own kind . Something you refuse to acknowledge . And I did not want us In Iraq either. I do not like this kinda stuff either I am no warmonger or Inhumane but when you are trying to take down a group of people that do not play by the rules , guess what ? Ya gotta get your hands dirty. Those prisoners are not all the saints that you think they are do not kid yourself !
Fighting terrorists by becoming terrorists solves nothing. Instead it brings us all down to the level of those we despise. Violence begets violence -- not peace. Using nice words like "capital punishment" doesn't cover up the fact that it is simply "killing," and killing is violence. Sure the subject of capital punishment, if he's the right person, can not be violent again, but the killing itself tells the world it's OK to kill people if you've got a good reason -- and that promotes even more violence and killing. Like the Hatfields and McCoys, the violence never ends.
And standing by and doing nothing solves less William ! In fact It just basically says that you have submitted to their whims !
tony0724
You know how it is. Some people refuse to accept harsh realities. I don't really care WHAT they do to those terrorists. Those people are fanatics and view the USA as a major nuisance. They won't stop until they cannot go on. As my husband and I believe, there ARE NO innocent people over there. The children are raised to hate and kill from the cradle on. I know that we'll next hear from someone how "peaceful" the religion of Islam is. I know the schtick, but tell me again if you must.
William F. Torpey says:
3 months ago
It is shameful that we have to debate the virtues of torture in the United States in the 21st Century! Do we really have to argue that we should not torture? Torture is inhuman, immoral, obscene, ugly, disgusting, sickening ... shall I go on? Anyone who supports torture -- for any reason whatsoever -- is depraved.