US Interrogation regresses 60 yrs

[soiarrai]

http://pressesc.com/01179641589_republicans_turn_clock_back_on_human_rights

Submitted by Canada IFP on Sun, 2007-05-20 06:18.Americas | United States | News

Republicans have turned the clock back on human rights by 60 years, according to an expert.

 

"In 1947, the U.S. sentenced a Japanese military officer, Yukio Asano, to 15 years of hard labor for using a form of water-boarding," Maureen Byrnes, Executive Director of Human Rights First, said.

 

Water-boarding, a method of torture where the victims are subjected to mock drowning, was sanctioned by US Vice President Dick Cheney last year, and endorsed more recently by Republican Presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani.

 

"Such actions are abusive and illegal, rarely produce reliable intelligence, and cause the United States to lose the moral high ground,â? she added in a statement regarding Republican candidatesâ?? discussion of interrogation techniques in the debate held May 15, 2007 in South Carolina.

 

At the debate, all republican candidates apart from John McCain vowed to carry on with torture.

 

"This discussion focused on the so-called 'ticking time bomb' scenario, which is a fundamentally flawed hypothetical and not a sound basis for making policy," Byrnes said. "In this context, references to 'enhanced interrogation techniques' are a euphemism for abusive treatment."

 

CIA's Harsh Interrogation Techniques Described here

[Bangkoktraveler]

Regarding water boarding:

""The person believes they are being killed, and as such, it really amounts to a mock execution, which is illegal under international law," said John Sifton of Human Rights Watch."

 

People just do not realize that when you stoop to the level of your enemies, you become just as bad as they are. Next they will be burying people alive with only their heads sticking out and their heads covered with honey so that it will attrack the nearby biting ants.

 

[Guest lazyphil]

.....or bears

[Steve]

I would like to see us take the highroad with regards to interrogation. I do not like to see it as part of standard procedure. Our reputation is hurting as it is. I understand it. It goes back to 911. Its not an excuse, nothing is but the country suffered psychologically for it and when that happens nations do things...bad things at times. Not excusing it mind you. I wouldn't vote for someone who said it was okay.

Its not unique to the U.S. though. The French did it in Algiers, in fact they were very very brutal. The English did some of it to Irish who they suspected of bombings and attacks. The Russians have done the same to Chechnyan subjects. China practically invented it. Again, not saying its right, its wrong, but unfortunately its a symptom nowadays of a desparate government.

 

There were a uniform rule of war in Europe for some time. Europe was always at war and there were prisonor exchanges, etc. Same here in the U.S. during the revolutionary and civil wars. WWII was so brutal it went out the window. The Nazis, Russians and Americans all tortured. I would assume the English did but I don't recall so I won't name that country. I'd be surprised if they didn't as well.

 

When you're winning you are more humane. Notice how we didn't hear the same in the Gulf War? There were thousands upon thousands of Iraqis captured and I can't recall any reported cases of widespread abuse. This time around, its different. The more brutal the more violent, Vietnam was brutal and we tortured as the NVA did to us as well.

 

I would also guess that any european country would do the same in similar circumstances. Again..and I know it will seem like I'm condoning it. IT'S WRONG!! I am just an observer of history at times and see it in its place.

[OCgringo]

the last 6 years the USA has made more enemies then ever before,

GW and his people have a one direction mind , they are after terrorists, and nothing will change that unless Bush + friends are gone.

 

But we all become targets when the USA government torture anyone , their people then feel its alright to torture us,

 

I do not feel more safe since 9-11 , I feel more a target because of the way the USA has acted,

 

plus I wondr how accrate the info obtained is ,

if i am being tortured , I would tell themwhat they wat o har , if its true or not

 

OC

 

 

[Bangkoktraveler]

What a country really is, is shown in their actions. The USA is the foreward preacher of "democracy and freedom", but in reality, it is as cold blooded as its enemies. The people, for the most part, do not like prisoners being tortured, but their voices(along with democracy) are ignored.

[chuckwoww]

I knew torture was going to get the OK back when Dershowitz started talking about it.

 

http://www.spectacle.org/0202/seth.html

[Steve]

Agreed OC. It has made us put us a bit more in jeapordy. Because of 911, they have now have a 'ends justified the means' mentality. Which is why you don't get the same outcry publicly than things in the Vietnam war. And why we didn't have a problem with Japanese internment (as well as some German and Italians as well) in WWII. When you feel you're the victim and were provoked first, governments will justify any action. Vietnam we went there, they didn't attack us so there was more public outcry. At least initially by the younger americans and neutrals and left of center. The far right, as it did then, will always have a 'U.S. does not wrong mentality' as the far right does in any country. The far left has its issues as well, don't get me wrong (sometimes a U.S. is always wrong mentality) but it can't be accused of having a U.S is never wrong mentality.

[Steve]

What a country really is, is shown in their actions.

Agreed and I would also say that given similar circumstances most countries wouldn't act differently. Look at the Netherlands. Van Gogh's offspring gets killed and large parts of their citizens went from a sympathetic view to an anti moslem view. Imagine if a 911 type of attack occured? Would the Brazilian's accidental death have occured if the train bombings in London didn't happen? Look at the laws that were passed when the IRA were bombing London? Imagine what would happen if Westminister Abbey or some landmark had a plane flown into it? Look at Austrailia pre and post the Bali bombings? Public sentiment changed quite a lot.

Its what most countries do, unfortunately. One could argue that Spain went the opposite route after their bombing though.

 

[cavanami]

...hurry up 2008 and let's move on!