During the last republican debate, the topic of torture came up. Ron Paul and John Huntsman were clear that waterboarding constitutes torture. On the other hand, though they claim to be against torture, these candidates call waterboarding an "enhanced technique".
This is an United Nations Convention definition of torture:
...any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him, or a third person, information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in, or incidental to, lawful sanctions. --UN Convention Against TortureIf so, isn't "enhanced" just an euphemism for torture?
Wouldn't it be better for Cain, Bachmann, Gingrich, etc to just admit they are in favor of torture?
What's your opinion?
I'm closing this post Monday, November 21 at 11 pm.
