Torture can be a useful tool in uncovering vital information regarding enemy movements, intelligence, and positioning, among other things. Torture also tears down diplomatic opportunities and makes it difficult to convince enemy units to surrender.
Information gleaned through torture has saved countless lives. At the same time, some people feel as though torture is morally reprehensible. There are countless arguments for or against the use of torture. The question is, where should the military stand on the matter?
I look forward to hearing what you all have to say.
For those of you as uninformed as I am, here are some recent articles discussing this very subject:
Ex-Abu Ghraib Interrogator: Israelis Trained U.S. to Use "Palestinian Chair" Torture Device
CIA Director John Brennan won't bring back torture, even if GOP contenders want it
United States of Torture: When it comes to "enhanced interrogation," Americans agree with Donald Trump
Death on the border: Family suing U.S. for "torturing and killing" Latino father at California-Mexico line, botching investigation
Ted Cruz Tells Fox America Has 'Never Engaged in Torture'
I may be mistaken, but I don't believe the military engages in torture or "enhanced interrogation". In the past some US agencies, like the CIA, have engaged in "enhanced integration". But I believe the majority of enhanced interrogations were performed by contractors, and never the US military itself. In fact I believe that when Obama came into administration he signed an executive order mandating that all agencies and contractors follow the same rules as listed in the military rule book, the army field manual. So for your post on Saturday, I might better define what you think torture is, as well as not just discuss the military's use but rather the US as a whole/the people the US hires.
ReplyDeleteThank you for addressing this topic. Torture is wrong, for two reasons. First, it is ethically and morally wrong. Second, it is strategically short-sighted. To combat the rise of radicalism, we must be viewed all around the world as a humane nation. If we are guilty of torture, how can people tell that we are the good guys? All you have to do is look at the first Gulf War, and study about the thousands upon thousands of Iraqi Republican Guards who surrendered, believing that they would be treated humanely by us. It's hard for me to imagine now that mass surrenders would help us to win a battle these days. But that's just it: Torture could be a way to win a battle, but it can lengthen a war and even cost us much more heartache in the long run by deepening the resolve of our enemies.
ReplyDeleteThere is never a justifiable reason to torture another human being (or animal, for that matter). War is sometimes necessary to protect lives and liberty, but no righteous war requires defenders (the righteous) to torture or exploit the aggressors.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the author indicated that torture has saved countless lives. This is incorrect. Most of the information gathered from prisoners of war through torture is false and merely an attempt to bring the torture to an end.