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28.3.24 0624
The W - Current Events & Politics - Red Cross does not have access to all US prisoners
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Jonny_English
Mettwurst








Since: 18.3.04
From: Derby, UK

Since last post: 6296 days
Last activity: 6119 days
#1 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.52
Apparently, John Bellinger has confirmed that although the Red Cross has access to all prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, it does not have access to other prisoners held in similar circumstances.

I have to say that this troubles me deeply. One (speculative) conclusion could be that we (I use we as, although I'm British, you can bet that Blair has knowledge of this at the very least), are using torture on prisoners held overseas. If so, is it a victory for terrorists if we are transported from a rational, civilised people who offer dignity and rehabilitation to offenders, into those who would torture and abuse in 21st century gulags?

Here is the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4512192.stm
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DrDirt
Banger








Since: 8.10.03
From: flyover country

Since last post: 2346 days
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#2 Posted on | Instant Rating: 7.35
Aside from your concerns, which I mostly agree with, the aspect about torture that confuses me the most is that much of the intel gathered is suspect.

The other aspect that is troubling is that this whole issue provides so much fodder for our enemies

(edited by DrDirt on 9.12.05 0636)


Perception is reality
Tribal Prophet
Andouille








Since: 9.1.02
From: Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Since last post: 2936 days
Last activity: 2196 days
#3 Posted on | Instant Rating: 6.43
I thought the common consensus was not that "we have gone from civilized to brutal", but that we have simply been caught doing what we've been doing under the table for a hundred years.

I mean, I'm not the only one that doesn't believe that torture being used by government in war times (or even non-war times) is new, am I?


Tribal Prophet
Jonny_English
Mettwurst








Since: 18.3.04
From: Derby, UK

Since last post: 6296 days
Last activity: 6119 days
#4 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.52
    Originally posted by DrDirt
    Aside from your concerns, which I mostly agree with, the aspect about torture that confuses me the most is that much of the intel gathered is suspect.

    The other aspect that is troubling is that this whole issue provides so much fodder for our enemies

    (edited by DrDirt on 9.12.05 0636)


Indeed. Beat me long enough and I'll tell you a horse is a chicken. There are such suspicions over the veracity of information gathered using torture, that the UK House of Lords has recently declared evidence gathered this way inadmissible in court.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4509530.stm
ShotGunShep
Frankfurter








Since: 20.2.03

Since last post: 5981 days
Last activity: 5868 days
#5 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.13
I don't have a problem not letting in anti-american crusaders into our prisons.

The ICRC calls "mental anguish" torture. Nuff said.
spf
Scrapple








Since: 2.1.02
From: The Las Vegas of Canada

Since last post: 3069 days
Last activity: 404 days
#6 Posted on | Instant Rating: 5.57
You know, if we're really this unconcerned with international reaction or any of that, why don't we just shoot the whole lot of them? Would free up the resources at Guantanamo, and if you're of the opinion that the world can go screw itself, this shouldn't be any different. After all, they are all terrorists according to the Bush administration, so they're guilty without trial or anything like that.

I just wish we would pick one way or the other. If we truly want to wage war, and are going to be bad-ass and tell the world to piss off, then let's do it. Start bringing the wrath of God down upon anyone in our way. Want to scare some possible terrorists, put a bullet in every head at Gitmo and then dump them in the middle of Baghdad. Right now we're just bad-ass enough to be John Wayne until we see someone who kind of scares us *cough*Iran*cough* and then we suddenly go to the negotiating table and let Europe talk for years on end.

We are not going to ever win the PR war as long as we are doign things like this, so why let artificially created impediments on our tactics hamstring us? Obviously I would prefer we actually try not to piss off the entire world on a daily basis, but if we're going to do it, I'd rather actually give them all something to be really pissed about.
skorpio17
Morcilla








Since: 11.7.02
From: New Jersey

Since last post: 5853 days
Last activity: 5853 days
#7 Posted on | Instant Rating: 3.81
Torture is a necessary evil. Just watch an episode of 24.
EddieBurkett
Boudin blanc








Since: 3.1.02
From: GA in person, NJ in heart

Since last post: 63 days
Last activity: 23 hours
#8 Posted on | Instant Rating: 6.87
    Originally posted by skorpio17
    Torture is a necessary evil. Just watch an episode of 24.


You're kidding, right? If you are going to cite an episode of a fictional show as evidence for an argument, then I will say you should watch the Jon Stewart interview of John McCain on an episode of the Daily Show about a month ago, which happened shortly after McCain spearheaded the vote on the torture bill. They both specifically said that while 24 makes for good television, it is not representative of how torture is beneficial to our country.

Now, understand that I'm not saying I'm against torture in extreme cases. I just don't think that 24 is really what the argument should be hinged upon.



Indiana! Indiana!

. . . let it go.
skorpio17
Morcilla








Since: 11.7.02
From: New Jersey

Since last post: 5853 days
Last activity: 5853 days
#9 Posted on | Instant Rating: 3.81
    Originally posted by EddieBurkett
      Originally posted by skorpio17
      Torture is a necessary evil. Just watch an episode of 24.


    You're kidding, right? If you are going to cite an episode of a fictional show as evidence for an argument, then I will say you should watch the Jon Stewart interview of John McCain on an episode of the Daily Show about a month ago, which happened shortly after McCain spearheaded the vote on the torture bill. They both specifically said that while 24 makes for good television, it is not representative of how torture is beneficial to our country.

    Now, understand that I'm not saying I'm against torture in extreme cases. I just don't think that 24 is really what the argument should be hinged upon.


How do you not torture a Said Ali? He knows where the bomb is! If that doesn't work, you torture his family and kill his sons until he talks.

Though a terrorist refusing to reveal a nuclear(sp.-W) bomb may be an extreme case, I don't believe the McCain bill makes any exceptions for torture even in the extreme cases you seem to support.

Today Bush backtracked to support the feel-good McCain bill anyway. Now the terrorists can't even be "degraded" whatever their lawyers should decide that to mean.
Guru Zim
SQL Dejection
Administrator








Since: 9.12.01
From: Bay City, OR

Since last post: 8 days
Last activity: 15 hours
ICQ:  
#10 Posted on | Instant Rating: 8.81
Technically, they can still torture I believe. They just aren't exempted from consequences. In other words, there would be a trial or tribunal.

I'm not saying I know the whole law so I could be wrong.



Ignorance is bliss for you, hell for me.
Jaguar
Knackwurst








Since: 23.1.02
From: In a Blue State finally

Since last post: 1903 days
Last activity: 1903 days
#11 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.61
Well according to the Colbert Report, the McCain bill forced our soldiers to adhere to the military field operations manual.

So the Pentagon changed the military field operations manual's definitions of torture.



Hooray?



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I say good riddance. It really doesn't do all that much. To quote Bill Maher: "Because, y'know, when it's yellow, I'm pretty normal. I may look around every four or five seconds. But when it's ORANGE, I... what, take a sweater?"
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