Is Waterboarding Torture?

Do you think waterboarding is torture and why?

 

It could be, i went surfing once & couldn't stay on the damn board!

I though when you're in the red with rep you can't post in the P&R forums?

 

I got red cause I cursed at some Neocon.

 

The United States government considered it torture prior to the Bush administration. It has even been presented as evidence against captured enemies at war crimes trials. It's also important to remember that not all suspected terrorists in captivity were really terrorists, but they might become terrorists if we torture them like this and then release them.

 

But how comes you can still post here?

 

LoL, nice quote

 

Cause I'm voting for Ron Paul which in turn will save DP from being taken over by fascists.

 

What makes you think crazy_rob is a fascist? (perma ban)

NM it's new members only

So who else thinks surfing is torture?

 

On this issue I take someones word for it that knows a little something about torture..

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/01/national/main3441363.shtml

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For those who do not know who I'm talking about, McCain

 

I dunno. If it is torture, it is surely one of the most subtle forms of torture. Waterboarding is intended to induce panic, but not pain. You do not die and you are not injured from waterboarding. That's why it is controversial. It does, however, produce results.

I think they should just make all the detainees listen to Hillary. Now that is torture.

Notice that McCain said he believes it is a form or torture. He did not clearly state that it is torture. McCain was actually tortured and endured beatings and lots of physical pain. There is a difference.

 

You are incorrect.

He has said several quotes, to say he's not saying it's torture is trully 'out there'

http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/10/_mccain_sharply_rebukes_rudy_for_protorture_comments.php

You are further incorrect on the definition of torture according to your statement.

http://www.answers.com/torture&r=67

You are also incorrect on waterboarding as a whole.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterboarding

 

Indeed, it does produce results. I do not believe it's torture though. As you say, it's designed to induce panic. It's one of half a dozen authorized interrogation techniques. Some people are simply uneducated as to the difference between torture (ripping nipples off with pliers, yanking out toenails, beating, etc) and interrogation techniques.

It worked wonders on one of al qaida's top nutcases.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/09/how-the-cia-bro.html

Many people have differing opinions on it. Opinions are a dime a dozen though. It's not illegal nor does it violate any international laws (that I'm aware of).

Obviously it works, as noted above. No telling how many thousands of lives were saved, because it did work. I suppose some people would be more comfortable with thousands of lives being lost because a tough "interrogation technique" was used on a putz that chopped off the heads of others. I'll never understand it.

 

rep++
It would be funny if it were appropriate to laugh about it :insert vomit smiley:
You should've said "none of" instead of "not all"

 

I don't know, I've never been tortured

 

Not true. As far as anyone can tell, no person has ever authorized being tortured.

 

This assumption is a canard. Waterboarding is an interrogation technique, not torture. It is one of half a dozen techniques that the CIA uses, including sleep deprivation, climate control, the belly slap, grabbing for attention. The notion that it's torture is an opinion, not a fact. The very basis of the question in the thread title.

 

The facts are that waterboarding is one of the most harmless forms of interrogation, and it does work. No one dies and no one is injured. You therefore have to seperate it from real torture using pliers, knives, hammers, mallets, wires, electricity, etc.

If you take away every tool that the government has to interrogate terrorists, we will never be able to gather critically important information. These people are fanatics and they do not give up information because you ask nicely.

Even in the best of cases, when our guys are captured by the same enemy, kid gloves are never applied and our guys are severely tortured, mutilated and frequently murdered. Where is the outrage about that?

 

Did you even bother to read the links and quotes posted? You are still incorrect, until you bother reading something and knowing what you are talking aobut there isnt' even a point in showing you more of how you are incorrect.

Who doesn't have outrage when our men and or women are captured and treated inhumanely? I know I am outraged in such circumstances.

Waterboarding has been ruled torture by our own US government, we have tried others for using it as war crimes, the international community sure appears to think it's torture. The only ones with the 'opinion' that it is not torture appears to be a few in the current admin and their followers. With that definition anything could be considered 'not torture' hell cutting off a finger could be considered 'not torture' afterall it's someones opinion

-edit
BTW the misconception from what I have read that it causes no harm or death is because it doesn't 'leave a mark' it also depends on the form used.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15886834

 

I think it is torture, however, i am for these kinds of techniques to get information.
The fact that no body parts are being cut off or anything like that, while still getting the same effect, is a big plus.

 

finally an honest answer