Comments on: Torture and the Law

By: walter77777

walter77777 — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:56:25 +0000

There is a good reason for treating prisoners humanely. A man facing the choice of fighting to the death or surrendering will tend to fight to the death if he fears harsh treatment if he surrenders. A man who chooses to fight to the death will often take out one or more of his enemies (our guys) before he is killed. thus decent treatment of POWs tends to reduce our casualties.

W.

By: johnlewismealer

johnlewismealer — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:10:08 +0000

Everyone needs a little torture now and then. Personally, I prefer a bit of electrical shock...

Find a better economi=y based plan than John McCain's 3R's...

I dare you.

Progressive Candidate John McCain comes through for America with his 3R economic plan. In the aura of Theodore Roosevelt, McCain

By: polisigh

polisigh — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 01:14:40 +0000

If they can do it, we can do it. Sounds like the justification from the Court of King George IV and entourage. The Constitution is just a piece of paper too.

There's something not quite right about a nation that threaten to torture and murder those who don't accept its offer of peace and freedom; did I mention also dangerously juvenile.

But stop, wait - for the past 8 years this nation has been in the control of a bizarre dangerous little twerp with a major father hang-up. An alcoholic drug addict who's found J-E-S-U-S. I've got a big New Flash so has everyone on death row. I agree with Bill Maher George W. Bush should have to walk home. And then he should be tried for war crimes against humanity and hanged in effigy in the Court of Public Opinion.

Just because the Nazi didn't win WWII doesn't mean the President's name isn't Schikelgrubber.

By: jimbo

jimbo — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:43:53 +0000

If we are no longer a nation of laws, WTF have we become? Torture and secret rendition of uncountable innocents does not move us forward toward civilization but away from it toward madness and degenerate, less evolved forms of life.

By: mclaren

mclaren — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:22:49 +0000

Well well, sunnyjim, I know a little about the Geneva Conventions myself, and I've forgotten a whole lot more about American History than you have ever learned -- obviously. I could attempt to educate you and the other horribly misguided, "March to the Gas Chambers With Dignity" types on this and other boards, but what's the point?

You are blinded by Bush Derangement Syndrome and no amount of clear, concise proof or evidence that collides with your world view will help alleviate your "tortured" conclusions and those of the other angry "hot-button issue" types to which you cling.

Is it possible that the Khalid Sheik Mohammeds of the world aren't built like your father or other gentlemen of Western-World fame? Is it possible that those who know how to extract information don't start with water-boarding, but with techniques that more resemble Cpl. Hanns Scharff of WWII Luftwaffe fame?

What I know hasn't occurred to you is that 3,000 American lives are worth immeasurably more than the life or opinion of 1 jihadist. You don't get that, and you and your ilk never will. You are incapable of making a moral judgment. You are incapable of judging for in that, you might have to live up to said judgment. The neo-liberal will not or can not take a moral stand against anything other than his or her country, because everything is morally relative. It is an illness, and I know, because I once suffered greatly under it.

Wake up. We are better than jihadists. Not because we would treat them better, but because we would at least give them a chance, unlike what they would do for you and your father or mother or child.

The fact is that waterboarding -- not torture -- worked to save lives. Please go on record that you would rather watch innocent children die than have your "image" damaged in some Marxist cafe' in Paris.

By: sketchley

sketchley — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:55:50 +0000

The terrorist state par excellence putting its own torturers and terrorists on trial is obviously not going to happen. But as Philippe Sands has recently said, these crimninals had better remain within their own borders for the rest of their lives, for there is a whole army of us out here who will be making sure that if any of these criminals takes one step outside the terrorist state's borders they will be arrested under international torture and genocide legislation, as their own country will not bring them to justice: "The judge and prosecutor were particularly struck by the immunity from prosecution provided by the Military Commissions Act.

By: spencer_ackerman

spencer_ackerman — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:58:05 +0000

Can we not have comments here accusing John McCain of selling out the country while he was a POW? That's disgusting. Stick to the issue please.

By: pimothy

pimothy — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 06:52:34 +0000

This sordid chapter started back at yale when pledges hides were branded by cigarett burns. Also with exploding frogs by way of firecrackers.

By: ichabodcrane

ichabodcrane — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 23:49:10 +0000

Think back to the 9/11 attacks:

On the morning of 9/11 when the president was notified of the attacks while talking with children in a classroom in Florida, he completely froze for a full 5 minutes before the Secret Service led a still obviously stunned president out of the room. (The scene was shown on network TV several times that morning, but I've never seen it since.) Our fearless leader then made a mad dash to Air Force One and flew off quickly, not to New York or Washington DC, but to Barksdale AFB in Louisiana! I'm sure the whole nation was relieved in those desperately uncertain hours to know that at least our commander-in-chief was somewhere safe.

Meanwhile, Our courageous Veep rapidly got himself to a secure bunker in an "undisclosed location" where he hid out for several days until it was evident that any danger was past.

Such examples of courage and leadership are truly an inspiration for the generations!

But, the two most astonishing things are:
1. These goons got reelected in 2004, and
2. No Republican politician since 9/11 seems to have asked the question, "Where's Bin Laden?"

By: pmorlan

pmorlan — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:28:40 +0000

I hope that we can all agree that no matter what our opinion is on this issue that we all recognize how important it is for our country to know exactly what our government officials did or did not do in our names. As President Reagan once said, "Trust but verify". Having a full, fair investigation into the torture question is not only prudent but the only way to ensure government accountability to the people.