Tuesday, November 15, 2011

T, 5:40pm

20 comments:

Oceanna Dawn said...

I would first like to say that if anyone wants to learn more about Ron Paul there is
a Facebook page called: South Florida Ron Paul Campaign Effort, it lists many local political events with local speakers etc. I am not sure how I am going to vote yet, but I feel so far that Ron Paul and the Libertarian Party is based on allot of what I believe in, such as ending the FED and literally getting back to the constitution this great country was built on.

I do not feel that any kinds of coercion, torture or threats are a viable way to get true information from any human being. When the human body and mind are under these types of strains, true information becomes abstract at best. Even if the pressure of these coercions create the desire in an individual to tell the truth the information may be convoluted. Hardly the Intel you want to "take to the bank". The initial reaction of the mind when inflicted with stress is to tell the inflictor what they want to hear not what the true realities are. That is why the average man tells little white lies four times a day and a woman tells two when under little pressures by others. I do how ever understand that the use of force is needed in situations with people that only understand force thanks to our intrinsic animalistic nature. There are people that hold information in their minds that is greatly needed and I am not going to state that I know the answer in how to retrieve this information. I don’t believe coercion to be a great tool of accurate information retrieval from the human mind. I am not going to detail my explanation and beliefs about the morality issue of torture. I am just going to state that I believe it to be wrong and that any organization as a whole should never condone any form of it. I find that there is rarely black and white in violent situations; only greys that take from one color or the other attempting to balance out or become a new color but in actuality just become a larger pool of murky, greyer madness. Every situation is different and needs to be treated as such. There are no procedures that can be listed and fallowed when it comes to wrong or right and truth or lies.

A. Cordero said...

Waterboarding is definitely a form of torture that seems very clear and for someone to insinuate that it is not is just insulting. Now whether torture is a valid form of obtaining the truth from a person that is questionable, being under pressure and afraid for your life, you will say whatever the torturer wants to hear. So I don’t think accurate information may be received the majority of the time. There are people who are weaker than others and will give in but CIA, Military, etc. do not capture the little people they capture the “big fish” and they are “big fish” because of their abilities, so torture is likely not to work on these kinds of people. Although torture may be used more as a vengeance I doubt its effectiveness for truth sleekness.

A. Cordero said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

After reading the definition of torture i would have to say without a doubt that waterboarding is torture, period! As far as do i believe torture is necessary? In certain situations and with certain people i believe so for instance in time of war. The saying goes "all is fair in love and war". I'd also like to add that the more i listen to Ron Paul the more i seem to agree with his ideas and the fact that he was one of the presidential candidates that agrees waterboarding constitutes torture says alot about his character. For those who say waterboarding is an enhanced technique all i have to say is come on man, really? Michael Guelbenzu

Victor Pedrosa said...

To me it is clear that waterboarding causes physical suffering and therefore is considered to be torture. The practice simulates drowning, and I haven’t met a person yet who thinks that drowning isn’t suffering. As a matter of a fact, it is considered to be one of the worst ways to die, along with getting burned alive. Just the thought of it causes suffering. As for the ones who state that waterboarding does not produce suffering, they should have it done to them in public so they can be interviewed immediately after. That should change their opinion. If waterboarding did not, in fact, cause suffering, it would never be a successful technique for extracting information in the first place. I could imagine that no one holding valuable and secret information would let it go just because they are being refreshed with some nice cool water. Now, as far as it being necessary, that is a whole different post. Whether waterboarding is needed or not does not change the fact that it is indeed torture.

Jessica Wolf said...

In my strong opinion waterboarding is a form of torture. As it, it is defined already sounds unbearable, water is poured over the face of an immobilized captive, thus causing the individual to experience the sensation of drowning. Waterboarding can cause extreme pain, dry drowning, damage to lungs, brain damage from oxygen deprivation, other physical injuries including broken bones due to struggling against restraints, lasting psychological damage and death. Adverse physical consequences can manifest themselves months after the event, while psychological effects can last for years. Having said this anything that can cause damage to you mentally or physically in my eyes is torture, and not ethical. According to John Yoo, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General under President Bush has stated that the United States has subjected 20,000 of its troops to waterboarding as part of SERE training prior to deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. Is this to say that we are even putting our own soldiers at the risk of experiencing short and long term abuse? I believe this is unacceptable, and agree with Obama's view that is should be banned. It has been proven that when someone is inflicting pain on another, when being inflicted with pain, or suffering the initial response to this would be to tell the inflictor what they want to hear, so that they can stop, rather than telling them the whole truth.

Anonymous said...

The concept of “enhanced techniques” is a hypocritical term for otherwise “torture”. I believe there are interrogational sources that can work just as well as this so intended “techniques” which these Republicans claim they are acceptable. There should also be psychological techniques utilized to bring out the truth in individuals without coercion. I am totally against this brutal (whether considered mild or not) way of treating our enemies and consider them “torture”. There should be an addendum to the Geneva Convention Act that does not allow these so call enhanced techniques to be practiced which causes mental anguish which is “suffering” on humans. So therefore, I do believe that these kinds of so-called enhanced techniques are a euphemism for torture. I think of a parent, sibling or friend going through these so-called “techniques” and I fear for their mental destruction.

Elizabeth Freda

Juliana said...

The words like “collateral damage” or “enhanced technique” are only a way to hide the real meaning of the real word. The best way to describe what an enhanced technique means is TORTURE, and off course Waterboarding is torture. How is it used, I don’t really believe in it. Terrorists had been trained to die with the information, they prefer to die rather than confessed, either way they’ll end up death if they talk, and if it’s true what they are confessing, neither I believe.
Even if it’s prohibited by the international law, CIA, FBI, Interpol, they still use it to get the information, the only thing is that they are getting what they want to hear, but if it’s true, nobody knows. Torture has been around for centuries and I don’t believe it will stop; it’s a way of vengeance rather than a “technique” to get information.

Michely Hernandez said...

Waterboarding has been used since the 1700s by the Cambodian government during the Khmer Rouge regime. It has been used for over thousands of years by many countries such as Japan, China, Australia, Europe….basically any major country has used this concept of “interrogation” that is consider as torture by many. Barack Obama has banned the privilege in January 2009 since the George Bush administration approved it back in the beginning of 2002. There are many people who have an issue with this decision made by Obama because while others feel that its torture, many senators/ house representations feel that is necessary for this in order to obtain valuable in high class terrorist. That argument is understandable but it causes an extreme contradicting being that the US executed Japanese soldiers back in World War II for waterboarding US soldiers. How is it that is okay for us to do it? But the second someone else does it to us, is not. Not bias at all. I believe it’s unacceptable. I believe that there are many other forms of interrogation that would probably be as effective as waterboarding.

Anonymous said...

Alan C.

According to the definition of torture there is no way someone would seriously not consider Waterboarding a form of torture. Is clear that it is a form of torture and an effective one, perhaps this is the reason that some politics are making public their support for this practice. Is it better for candidates in favor of waterboarding to confess they are in favor of torture? It depends, if they want to be honest yes, but I don't think that's going to be positive for their electoral campaigns. That's why they try to hide the word torture at all times with euphemisms like the one mentioned in the article and try to look like americans who are just worried for the security in the country.

Romell said...

Torture is indefensible. The presidential candidates could never directly admit they are in favor of torture. Such directness might fire up support from the extreme elements of the party base but would turn off the rest of the electorate. The euphemism, ‘enhanced interrogation technique’ seems to sit better with the public because it softens the harsh reality. According to George Orwell, politicians must constantly use euphemisms in order to defend the indefensible. They know that their political careers depend on their ability to manipulate and control the issues. Thus, a necessary tool for a politician is the dishonest use of language.
Euphemisms are not confined to the ‘war on terror’ which caused the lives of thousands of innocent Americans in Iraq. Neither does it end with ‘enhanced interrogation technique’ which caused America to lose the moral high ground in the eyes of the world. Politicians dishonesty also extend to the word ‘fiscal conservative’ which softens the fact that they mean to systematically strip away the social safety nets that keep millions of Americans out of poverty. I believe that we must be ever aware of euphemisms and politicians’ dishonesty. Our future depends on it.

Anonymous said...

Andres Garcia
PhI 2010
11am
Is water boarding torture?
Yes I believe water boarding is torture and should be banded from use it’s obvious that water boarding affects the body at a physical level as well as psychologically. I believe that there are other ways to extract information from a prisoner or a suspected terrorist. There is also the issue that the information received by informants that have been exposed to water boarding may be wrong. False information may be given in order to avoid more torture. Besides having other ways of attaining information and the chance of receiving false information torture tactics just breed more hate and increases the chance of terrorism. Is water boarding a necessary evil in order to protect our nation’s citizens, no I don’t think it’s necessary when we have the tools and the people to inquire information through other means. I believe torture is a tool of ignorant men that are frustrated and don’t know of any other ways to protect their nation. Water boarding should be prevented and not promoted using justices as a validation for its use is only an excuse and a mistake. If we as a nation turn to this method I can’t imagine how low as people we can fall.

Garcia A said...

Gracia alAugustin
I don't have much to said about torture. It's wrong torturing people. The army use torturing in other to gathering information. Most of the time they do get what they need; but sometimes people would said anything just to get over they pain or suffering. Actually I am against it... That's abusing people also they right.

olmis leyva said...

President Obama said that Republican presidential candidates are “wrong” to defend the practice of waterboarding, which he said is torture.
“Waterboarding is torture. It’s contrary to America’s traditions, it’s contrary to our ideals, it’s not who we are, it’s not how we operate,” They  are wrong . We did the right thing by ending that practice". I agree  100 %  with him and the rest of my classmates. There is nothing new that I could add to this topic. I think these is one of the less contradicted topic brought to the blog this semester. 

Anonymous said...

To me, waterboarding seems it is not an “enhanced interrogation technique” but a just another method of torture, which can even go as far as death. And it is also ridicules how some citizens here have no clue about these special “techniques” the U.S forces use to obtain information from criminals. As well as how often these techniques are not performed under the U.S. military label but by average people who think it’s okay to do it. Seeing how interrogation by waterboarding only yields fast incorrect answers, instead of correct answer, there is not purpose of using the waterboarding on criminals or terrorists. They shout out the fastest answer to get the water from being poured on them, true or false. I also went to see some videos of this torture in progress and being drown without being in water seem like a the worse way to die knowing that you can drown at any second.
-alexandra Acevedo

Anonymous said...

The question of torture is a very tricky one. The problem of if torture should ever be used, centers on the issue of suffering. Is an individual's suffering worth more than possibly preventing the imminent death or suffering of others? Especially if those other people are completely innocent. Who makes this decision? How is this decision made? I for one believe there are certain situations that torture can be permissible...such in the case of WMDs that could threaten large populations. In cases where large amount of people could suffer or die, the use of torture could be used to gain important information concerning the attack(s). Critics often say that people will say anything to stop the torture from continuing...but much of the intelligence against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Iraq was gained by using "enhanced techniques". On the other hand, the use of torture should be limited to only the most extreme situations and should require presidential clearance, that way we as a country can at least have some accountability for our actions.

-Robert Brown

Anonymous said...

Regardless of the how it is put and under what category, waterboarding is still considered torture. Torture is defined in the Webster dictionary as being “the infliction of intense pain (as from burning, crushing, or wounding) to punish, coerce, or afford sadistic pleasure.” How can you constitute such a terrible “technique” after understanding the definition of torture? Waterboarding is when an individual is immobilized and water is poured over their head to give the sensation of drowning, it can cause many serious injuries including brain and lung damage, and possibly brain damage. I think torture on any account should be illegal to obtain information or to instill intimidation. For anyone to think that it is a different “technique” to torture clearly does not understand the method or why it is done nor has the intelligence to explain their reasoning on why it can be considered an “enhanced technique” and not plain “torture.” I believe that any candidates that make this claim have succumbed to a new low and are extremely solipsistic. They have no sense of what it is to be put in dreadful situations nor have had the opportunity to see and or become informed of who it affects and why. It is troubling to hear that people who are running for presidency use such poor diction and consider waterboarding an accepted “enhanced tachnique.”–Luciana Manrique

Luis amoretti said...

Waterboarding is a form a torcher. For ron paul to say it isn't is pure ignorance. Torcher should not be included under any investigation. The practice of torcher is barbaric- if its words they want, then words they should use. Something else can substitute torcher, pressure. pressure can also give them results. If a human is under pressure then their mind set is I want a way out and fast. Psychology, the way to get in the human mind without touching in any physical form.

Anonymous said...

I believe that waterboarding definitely considered a form of torture. You are still inflicting physical and mental pain on another individual, and I do not think that the united states should allow it. I guess in certain situations torture can be used, to a certain degree, to get vital information from someone. But I don't think that this it something that should be used. I feel that it is too extreme, and somewhat unnecessary. I understand why in some situations, people torture others to gain something from them, but causing someone to feel at though they are drowning, suffocating, or even death, is not the right way to do it. Calling something like waterboarding an "enhanced technique" in my opinion is pathetic.
-Cristina Casares

Anonymous said...

I undoubtedly consider waterboarding a form of torture. "Enhanced technique" is just a nice way of saying cruelty. When the human body is put under so much stress, you tend to concentrate soley on the pain, compromising the information you are being tourtured for. I understand that extreme measures sometimes have to be taken in certain situations to gather intel but have we not evolved enough as a race that we still need to act barbaric? Useing waterboarding or any other "enhanced technique" is a form of physical and mental torture. It has been proven that when takeing away human necessities they become more dependent of the person taking their needs away making them more vulnerable to give information to take control again.

-Jessenia Paez