This is a clip from the Joy Behar / Ann Coulter debate on Larry King Live the other day. Most of the relevant information is concentrated in the first minute of this clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENxlBMVsma0
I think that these two colorful representations of politics today directly go after the debate about interrogation and dirty hands. I have to go but, I will leave you with this. How do we stop torture if no one believes we are torturing in the first place?
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How can you say torture doesn't exist when Ann Coulter and Joy Behar are allowed on TV. Zing! Anyway, the whole idea that we are not torturing people is pretty ridiculous in my eyes. I think we need to keep the cranks, who will sit and tell a lie they don't even believe, out of the spotlight and actually have a honest discussion about the methods we are going to use like Bowden suggested and also there needs to be actual guidelines for soldiers to follow, a common complaint in Taxi to the Darkside, when it comes to interrogation. Without those kinds of measures the U.S. is partaking in some pretty ugly things that can blight our reputation for quite sometime.
ReplyDeleteBut, I don't think that is the issue. It is not that people do not believe we are not torturing people, but rather that we want to believe we are not torturing people. It would seem that the media wants us to do both, depending on what the mood is, but to outright deny torture is happening is like denying the Holocaust. People do not want to believe that our beloved America would do such a horrible thing, especially considering our foundation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
ReplyDeleteI agree strongly with part of your question, and that is, "How do we stop torture?" That seems to be the main issue. If you cannot torture, how do you obtain information. Sullivan hinted at that in the end of his article, and it seems that our government tries to "stop" torture by stating the actions as merely harsh treatment. However, when you see images of tortured prisoners, and descriptions of interrogation devices used, it is hard not to think that it is torture.
A follow up question then: If torture in the eyes of America is either A. Non-existent(whether taking the loose definition stance or the "Prisoners are treated well" stance) or B. Happening and is a major problem; what are the effective alternatives? How can one use psychological breakdown without it also be considered torture? Is there a method as efficient as torture that can ensure the well being of America for years to come?
And responding to Nik: If our reputation is slaughtered by the notion of us using torture(as if it wasn't already after embarking on many "crusades"), do you think it is worth the outcome(i.e. lifes of American citizens) if the consequences would be shame/dissociation?
I know this answer is a long time coming but I think the stakes are higher than shame/dissociation. Our ultimate goal would be to wipe out these terrorist networks and I think the use of torture makes that more difficult. I understand the practical uses of torture but I think it undermines the actual goal of eliminating terrorists if we are ourselves are fueling resentment and hatred. After seeing Taxi to the Darkside I also feel that torture can't be controlled and I can't support the idea that anyone should inflict torture on another human.
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