Torture And Secret Detentions
Remember those big bad guys that everyone hated in the second half of the 20th century? The ones who tortured people, detained suspects without trials, and set up secret jails in which to carry out these acts? The ones that the United States spent fifty years opposing, believing themselves to be the "beacon of democracy and freedom?" Remember how happy everyone was when the Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet Union collapsed?
Well, fifteen years later, people are still torturing and detaining people in secret jails. Except, this time, it's not the Soviets. It's the CIA.
The Senate recently passed an amendment to the spending bill that would ban the use of torture by the American government, under any circumnstances, by a vote of 90-9. Despte this overwhelming support, the White House has threatened to veto the entire spending bill to stop the torture amendment from passing. Dick Cheney explains that it would "tie the President's hands in a time of war." Is that not the idea? No one should ever have the ability to torture another person. First, torture is cruel and inhuman, and no one should ever be subjected to it. Second, and more importantly, torture is not an effective means of information gathering. The person under duress will do anything at all to stop the pain, including telling you what you want to hear, even if it is false. Despite the fact that this has been well-documented by many studies, the US government wants to continue using it. John Roberts, recently appointed Chief Justice, opposes a ban, believing that the "potential" for torture, which would be removed in a ban, factors into a detainee's willingness to confess. What he misses in this is that the very fear of torture, such as when a bunch of CIA guys are waving jumper cables around in your face, is a form of torture itself.
On the other side of the lake, the European Union is investigating claims that the CIA is maintaining secret jails in Poland and Romania to interrogate individuals that they believe are connected to terrorism. Though everyone involved denies it, a number of flights by CIA jets known to carry detainees have stopped at airports in Poland and Romania a number of times. The reason that these secret jails would be set up is because they are not subject to the International Coalition of the Red Cross' inspection, like Guantanamo Bay in Cuba is. Therefore, they can do basically anything they please.
Once again, hypocrisy seems to be a central US government trait.
Well, fifteen years later, people are still torturing and detaining people in secret jails. Except, this time, it's not the Soviets. It's the CIA.
The Senate recently passed an amendment to the spending bill that would ban the use of torture by the American government, under any circumnstances, by a vote of 90-9. Despte this overwhelming support, the White House has threatened to veto the entire spending bill to stop the torture amendment from passing. Dick Cheney explains that it would "tie the President's hands in a time of war." Is that not the idea? No one should ever have the ability to torture another person. First, torture is cruel and inhuman, and no one should ever be subjected to it. Second, and more importantly, torture is not an effective means of information gathering. The person under duress will do anything at all to stop the pain, including telling you what you want to hear, even if it is false. Despite the fact that this has been well-documented by many studies, the US government wants to continue using it. John Roberts, recently appointed Chief Justice, opposes a ban, believing that the "potential" for torture, which would be removed in a ban, factors into a detainee's willingness to confess. What he misses in this is that the very fear of torture, such as when a bunch of CIA guys are waving jumper cables around in your face, is a form of torture itself.
On the other side of the lake, the European Union is investigating claims that the CIA is maintaining secret jails in Poland and Romania to interrogate individuals that they believe are connected to terrorism. Though everyone involved denies it, a number of flights by CIA jets known to carry detainees have stopped at airports in Poland and Romania a number of times. The reason that these secret jails would be set up is because they are not subject to the International Coalition of the Red Cross' inspection, like Guantanamo Bay in Cuba is. Therefore, they can do basically anything they please.
Once again, hypocrisy seems to be a central US government trait.
posted by Jimmy at 5:04 PM
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