FBI Letter Shows Guantanamo Abuse

[PeachMonkey]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=sto..._on_re_la_am_ca/guantanamo_abuse_10&printer=1

You'll note that the article lists a series of events, witnessed by (and complained about by, with no effect) FBI counterterrorism experts that constitute torture under international law. These events are characterized as "abuse" by the authors of the article.

These events include:

-- physical torture (the bending back of thumbs, stress positions, gagging, stressful lighting, genital torture)
-- psychological torture (physical and sexual contact from a female on a Muslim during Ramadan)

 

[Sapper6]

yeah, yeah, yeah...more news of torture. punish these troops already and move on. never been a big fan of torture. the prisoner is more likely to give false information and lie in response to the pain, rather than give "helpful" intelligence.


oh, here is another torture news story. just thought i'd save someone the time in digging...

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20041208/D86R4BD00.html

indulge yourselves in yet another "great" headline

what's michael jackson been up to these days?

 

[Jeff Boler]

Big deal, war is hell. The opposition isn't any more gentle in their interrogation techniques, so why should we be.

If anything, they should be a little more severe. I'm tired of everyone complaining about the pain that these people are going through. Don't get yourself in a situation to be detained in the first place, and you wont have to worry about it.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=sto..._on_re_la_am_ca/guantanamo_abuse_10&printer=1

You'll note that the article lists a series of events, witnessed by (and complained about by, with no effect) FBI counterterrorism experts that constitute torture under international law. These events are characterized as "abuse" by the authors of the article.

These events include:

-- physical torture (the bending back of thumbs, stress positions, gagging, stressful lighting, genital torture)
-- psychological torture (physical and sexual contact from a female on a Muslim during Ramadan)

 

[rmcrobertson]

1. It doesn't work.

2. It antagonizes the very populations you are attempting to convince.

3. It's directly against every religion's moral codes.

4. It is a violation of the UCMJ and the Constitution.

5. It is a violation of the UN Charter, the Hague Conventions, and about nineteen other treaties that your country is signatory to.

But other than its pointlessness, counter-productivity, immorality, illegality and violation of international treaties--why no, one can't think of a reason that the United States shouldn't practice, aid and abet torture of all kinds.

Oh wait, forgot--WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE GOOD GUYS.

 

[PeachMonkey]

Be careful, Robert, you're starting to sound like a martial artist. And a goddamned human being.

 

[rmcrobertson]

Nope. It's the same old charming me that's always been.

You're simply coming to realize that I've been right all along. About everything.

Let's hear it for linguistic contamination....

 

[Flatlander]

You're simply coming to realize that I've been right all along. About everything.

You were close, until this post. :rofl:

 

[RandomPhantom700]

Big deal, war is hell. The opposition isn't any more gentle in their interrogation techniques, so why should we be.

If anything, they should be a little more severe. I'm tired of everyone complaining about the pain that these people are going through. Don't get yourself in a situation to be detained in the first place, and you wont have to worry about it.

Yes, because we all know that the people being detained have received due process, and are therefore definitely guilty. Oh wait, only 4 out of 550 have been charged with anything, nevermind.

Incidentally, I wonder if you experiencing the same torture would change your mind about how painful it is, or how much it's deserved.

 

[RandomPhantom700]

Nope. It's the same old charming me that's always been.

You're simply coming to realize that I've been right all along. About everything.

Aren't martial arts supposed to instill, oh I dont know, humility?

 

[rmcrobertson]

Today's phrase: "self-deprecating irony."

But then, one had thought that martial arts were also meant to teach compassion and sympathy, even for those with whom we profoundly disagree, even for those we dislike.

 

[RandomPhantom700]

Which is why I'm not yet a martial artist. :lol:

 

[AnimEdge]

Maybe some one should tell them about these torture laws, they seam to think decapiatation is one of them.

 

[Tgace]

Yes, because we all know that the people being detained have received due process, and are therefore definitely guilty. Oh wait, only 4 out of 550 have been charged with anything, nevermind.

Incidentally, I wonder if you experiencing the same torture would change your mind about how painful it is, or how much it's deserved.

Well... if they are being held as POW's, they are not awaiting trial. They are not accused of any crime, they are POW's. This isnt civil detainment, theres no bail or trial. Not that Im for all the methods (except for "stressful lighting".. BFHD) being employed.

 

[rmcrobertson]

One remains curious as to exactly when it was that my country started teaching people that logic-chopping in order to legitimize detention without notice, warrant, trial, or judicial review, and even at times torture, was perfectly OK.

Of course, the Accords to which this country is signatory, as well as our own legal history, demand trials of various sorts.

The Bush government's revolting legitimations of this un-Constitutional nonsense continue to astonish.

 

[Tgace]

Did we schedule trials for all the POW's we collected for WWII??? Other wars, except those accused of war crimes and possible execution?

If the detainee is a US citizen...thats a different story.

 

[PeachMonkey]

Did we schedule trials for all the POW's we collected for WWII??? Other wars, except those accused of war crimes and possible execution?

I'm not sure if I can accurate answer your question at the moment for every war in which the US has engaged, based on our status under international law at that time.

Is it relevant to the point at hand? If we did something bad in the past does it then give us carte blanche to behave badly for eternity?

 

[Tgace]

Not an arguement FOR torture. An argument against the "they havent had due process"...if they are POW's, whats the process they are due?