Water Boarding Does NOT Fit the Definition of Torture
By Kevin Roeten (07/23/08)
Do you worry about “water boarding”? Have we decided the Army Field Manual (AFM) will dictate American morals and change the definition of torture? Thorndike-Barnhart defines torture as “The act of inflicting very severe pain; a very severe pain or suffering--agony.” It seems the word torture is used frequently by those opposed to Bush, or his techniques to eliminate more American deaths.
It is known for a fact that terrorists such as Hussein (as well as others) have used torture throughout history to attempt to gain information. Routine techniques employed by Hussein include the savage removal of appendages, electrical shock, removal of tongues, ripping out eyes, and even a few instances of putting whole people into shredders. Those kinds of instances of severe pain are what the dictionary defines as torture.
“Water boarding” is a technique used on terrorists that simulates actual drowning, but is painless and does not inflict pain as in the above techniques. As Ronald Kessler (Washington correspondent) explains, “Despite a drumbeat of media reports about it, the CIA has only used water boarding as an interrogation tactic on only three terrorists and has not used the technique since 2003.”
It’s no wonder since the media started disclosing that water boarding is being used, the technique has become virtually ineffective. It’s obvious if terrorists know they could be subjected to fake drowning, they will be trained not to respond to water boarding.
As can be seen from several sci-fi television spots, any number of non-intrusive (non-pain) methods of obtaining desired information could be used. They include drugs, mind wipe, alternative reality—you name it. It’s even likely that some have these techniques have already been used by other countries.
We know that approved techniques (not torture), was used in questioning Zubaydah (bin Laden’s chief of operations), and Khalid Sheik Mohammed (mastermind of 9/11). These techniques worked, and led to a takedown of other al-Qaeda operatives planning more attacks on American soil.
Before any of the techniques presently used, the Justice Department reviewed the interrogation procedures and determined they were legally permissible. According to NewsMax sources, fewer that 1/3 of the terrorist captives was subjected to coercive interrogation techniques. What some journalists don’t understand is that certain non-violent techniques are spelled out in the “AFM” as an option when questioning hesitant or uncooperative sources.
Per Ronald Kessler (Washington correspondent), the CIA briefed the chairs, ranking members, and all staff directors of the Senate and the House intelligence committees on the details of the procedures used. But Kessler admits Congress has twice had the chance to ban water boarding, but has twice declined to do so. Actually, Congress only banned “degrading, inhuman, or cruel treatment”. This was in the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005, and the Military Commissions Act of 2006. Maybe Congress knows something that they’re not willing to share.
Torture can be described many ways. One can be put through a shredder and given unimaginable pain, or one can be tickled until one can’t stand it any more. It’s fortunate our government knows where to draw the line and not allow actual physical abuse. It’s time we all stopped labeling behavior as something different that the dictionary defines.
Of course the next terrorist attack on American soil will kill someone’s grandparents, cousins, sisters, brothers, dad, or mom. To stop that next terrorist attack, it’s quite good that Americans can get information without physical abuse to those killers. Your family thanks you more than you know.
Kevin Roeten
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