Torture: Ineffective and Illegal

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HERE'S WHAT I THINK

Dick Cheney finally admitted to war crimes.

"I supported it," he said regarding the practice known as "water-boarding," a form of simulated drowning. After World War II, Japanese soldiers were tried and convicted of war crimes in US courts for water-boarding, a practice which the outgoing Bush administration attempted to enshrine in policy.

"I was aware of the program, certainly, and involved in helping get the process cleared, as the agency in effect came in and wanted to know what they could and couldn't do," Cheney said. "And they talked to me, as well as others, to explain what they wanted to do. And I supported it."

I have heard people argue that "if no bones are broken or blood shed, it isn't torture". I suggest to those people and Vice President Cheney, with all respect due to him, that they might all change their tunes if actually water boarded themselves.

Cheney has never been tortured, John McCain has. Senator McCain knows that it isn't effective. He knows that it is illegal, a war crime.

Barack Obama has promised to stop it. I sincerely hope he does! In the meantime, I would like to hear from you. Are you bright and intelligent? Or are you a Monkey Brain?

Should Cheney and Other Officials Be Tried for War Crimes? BEFORE YOU ANSWER WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW.

BTW, I think that the arrogance is so strong that George Bush may not pardon him before leaving office.

He has been talking more than the last almost 8 years. He has admitted to being involved in the Valerie Plame affair. This crime was not only a problem for Valerie Plame, but put countless other CIA operatives with whom she associated in lethal danger.

Do you think, if Bush doesn't pardon him, he should be prosecuted?

Would You Prosecute Cheney? For Waterboarding? For Interferring With the CIA (Plamegate)?

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No Way...and Here Is Why.

7Suze7 says:

Who is going to do it?

You Bet...and Here Is Why.

ricky-macleod says:

either prosecute him or waterboard cheney so that he can at least understand what it feels like to have your lungs fill up with water gasping for breath DONT DO TO OTHERS WHAT YOU WOULDNT LIKE DONE TO YOURSELF.

Stonecutter says:

Not just Cheney, several people in that administration crossed a line in terms of the waterboarding. People in power need to be reminded who gave them that power and that misrepresenting our wishes will not be tolerated.

lisadh says:

Torture is illegal under the Geneva Conventions, and prior to this administration, the US has believed that waterboarding is torture. Since Cheney authorized it, he is in violation of the Geneva Conventions, IMHO.

 

Vice President Cheney Supports Waterboarding

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Some Say This Isn't Torture, Can You Buy That? 

Torture Is Wrong and It Doesn't Work

Do You Think We Should Torture?

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Abosolutely Not

cbelan says:

i think bush, cheney and the whole top knobs of the bush administration should be tried for war crimes because of torture and also for starting an illegal war in irak

hlkljgk says:

no. it's ineffective and cruel.

spirituality says:

The problem with torture isn't merely that it's immoral. It also doesn't work: it makes people fabricate answers to the questions being asked. So if the aim is reliable information, torture should be out. If the aim is punishing people for not telling them what you want to know or hear, torture is a great method.
However, forcing people into things is just not really an option. They can tell you what they think you want to hear. However, whether that something is TRUE is a totally other issue.

Stonecutter says:

There are enough atrocities committed on the battle field. It has been shown that torture is ineffective in gaining information, and any information that may be given is questionable as intelligence at best.

SereneSea says:

Any form of torture is inhuman and not supported. There has to be something else, I do not know to extract information from hardened criminals - certainly not the barbaric methods.

7Suze7 says:

I have heard that people being tortured can't think well enough to give valid information

says:

Look at what happened during the Holocaust. Torture is criminal and ineffective. Torture should never be excused.

Curt Sytsma says:

The use of torture is an assault upon the American soul, and we cannot suffer that assault in silence. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "As we must account for every idle word, so must we account for every idle silence."

monarch13 says:

We all become the "lowest common denominator" when our leaders encourage and engage in this abuse of power. Shame on us (The US) for not protesting louder and demanding more accountability!

It Is Sometimes Necessary

Margo_Arrowsmith says:

Well, Jake, I would be tempted, but I would hope that it would be in charge of calmer people who would know that 1. Torture is not an effective way to get people to tell the truth. 2. When people are tortured even if they want to tell, they can't think straight enough to be of any use.

Thanks for your comment.

Jake says:

what if your daughter was kidnapped and you know a man that knows where she is. This man will not tell you where she is and every second your daughters life is in more and more danger. Are you telling me that you would not torture this man into telling you where your daughter is?

 

Christopher Hitchens Is Waterboarded

Knowing that he could stop it at any time he wanted, unlike the real objects of waterboarding
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Keith Olberman on Waterboarding

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Waterboarding the Process 

Someone Will Be Prosecuted For War Crimes, But It Won't Be Chaney or Bush

Margo_Arrowsmith predicts:

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Irenemaria predicts:

Each one of us will have to render account for our actions.

Stonecutter predicts:

I don't believe anyone of the big players will be prosecuted. Most likely a low level military commander and they will only require a resignation without prosecution. This way it appears as if the administration is taking action.

lisadh predicts:

I predict no one will be prosecuted. The Bush administration certainly won't do it and Obama has too many other forward-facing problems to address.

Margo_Arrowsmith predicts:

I predict that someone will be prosecuted for war crimes, but it will be someone far down the line from Cheney or Bush

 
 
 

Barack Obama Walks the Talk and Nominates Leon Panetta for CIA Director

Today, January 5, 2009, President elect Barack Obama announced the nomination of Leon Panetta for CIA Director. The nomination has raised eyebrows and caused ire in even Democrat. Senator Diane Finestine D,CA, head of the Senate intelligence committee is against it, but then she wasn't against torture.

Some say that he has no intelligence experience and that the CIA is hostile to directors who come from the outside. However, most directors have fit that bill, a most notable one is a man names George HW Bush.

Panetta has come out totally and unequivically against torture. Obama has said that it would stop when he was president. Nominating Panetta, perhaps his first unpopular appointment, shows his commitment to this human rights issue.

Amensty International Helps Fight Torture 

OK, Sound Off. What More Do You Have to Say About Torture and This Lens?

  • A-Redneck Apr 22, 2011 @ 2:15 pm | delete
    It is amazing how when another country does this type of thing we are horrified but we turn a blind eye to what our own countries do. Sad.
  • hlkljgk Apr 13, 2011 @ 5:11 pm | delete
    doesn't seem possible people can still resort to torture these days. sad.
  • spirituality Apr 3, 2011 @ 1:31 pm | delete
    Lensrolled to my lens about Amnesty International :)
  • Irenemaria Apr 3, 2011 @ 12:49 pm | delete
    I feel really uncomfortable reading about this. Upset and sad.....
  • ricky-macleod Apr 3, 2011 @ 8:40 am | delete
    makes me feel sick to my stomach whenever i see any kind of torture i cant even watch films like saw and hostel people who torture others must have a really sick sense
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