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Waterboarding Is Torture, Says Ex-Navy Instructor (SERE)
The Washington Post ^ | Nov 9, 2007 | Josh White

Posted on 11/09/2007 6:14:39 AM PST by RDTF

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To: RDTF

Who is the main source for this piece? Which august Congresscritter called him to be a witness? What is his axe to grind?

Were there any rebutting witnesses?

We all know that the WaPo has decided which side it is on, and we also know that they will go far out of their way to find people who will be 1.) Immune from attack and 2.) Impressive, at least on paper.

So, what is the background on this? To whom (if anyone) does this fellow give his political donations to?

Inquiring minds...

Oh, and what is torture? I’d say that the question is far more relevant when facing a civilized enemy than an un-civilized enemy. Our enemies have no rules and consider us to be less than animals.

I would extend to them the same courtesy.


61 posted on 11/09/2007 7:03:03 AM PST by BrewingFrog (I brew, therefore I am!)
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To: arderkrag

Listen I am way to old to be cute....
I wanted to know what you thought torture was...
You gave me a definition, fine..........
I do not care what we do to get the information we need........
In this country we do not torture....period.....I think maybe we should.


62 posted on 11/09/2007 7:03:05 AM PST by svcw (There is no plan B.)
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To: svcw; arderkrag
I don't care how you define it, but one must ask the question: which is morally right or wrong...to risk 10's, 100's, 1000's or even millions of lives to protect one or more evil persons? If you think it's morally wrong to waterboard to extract information that can save lives...you need to reexamine your morality. You are justifying the murder of lots and lots of people.

I think the first question you'll be asked (if you make it to the pearly gates) is: why didn't you do something to save all those people? And your response will be: "well, uh, I couldn't God. You see, it would've compromised the integrity of our nation to waterboard that terrorist, it was better to let all those good innocent people die a horrible death. I feel really good about my decision God. In fact, I'd make the same decision again." Do you think God will be satisfied with your answer? Do we really care about you "feeling good" about that decision? Or, do we want to save a bunch of people.

The needs of the many, outweigh the torture of one...Spock said that in the Wrath of Kahn, didn't he? ;o)

63 posted on 11/09/2007 7:03:11 AM PST by Paco
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To: gridlock
When did preventing each and every terrorist act become a requirement for national survival?

"We the People of the United States, in Order to ...provide for the common defence...do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America"

"Preventing each and every terrorist act" is the reason we have a government.

"common defense" presumes there is or will be someone against whom the citizens will need to be protected.

BTW, that obscure document also specifies exactly for whom the "blessings of liberty" are to be secured.
64 posted on 11/09/2007 7:03:47 AM PST by chrisser
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To: arderkrag
We should not stoop to their level

You are the one with the cute tactics. You whole argument is based on a completely fraudulent accusation. Water boarding in NOW way approaches the normal level of barbarity engaged in by the Terrorists. Your accusation is an utter lie.

We do not stoop to their tactics as anyone who bothers to study the issue rather then flame out on the base of an emotionally hysteric knee jerk ignorance of the topic knows.

In addition, there is no moral equivalence between the attacked and the aggressor. We are responding to, not initiating the aggression here.

Rather then cling to your pseudo intellectual "moral equivalence" dogmas, try actually thinking about the topic for a change.

65 posted on 11/09/2007 7:05:26 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Pacifism is not moral. True morality requires evil be opposed, not appeased)
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To: svcw

You’re all falling for the magician’s trick!

“Look over here at this hand!”

The hand you should be looking at is the “we don’t want America to have or use effective tools in the war on terror” hand.


66 posted on 11/09/2007 7:05:31 AM PST by MrB (You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
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To: airborne

It’s strange...it doesn’t make any sense why this guy would want to go on record saying this, unless he really believes it doesn’t work (people just lie to make it stop) - and feels other forms of torturous interrogation that could be deemed better should be used. But if it is what made Mohammed crumble, then it obviously can work.


67 posted on 11/09/2007 7:05:37 AM PST by RDTF ("Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear". Mark Twain)
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To: Paco

More emotion based arguments. Opposing waterboarding is not justifying murder. It’s opposing torture. It stands alone.


68 posted on 11/09/2007 7:06:05 AM PST by arderkrag (Libertarian Nutcase (Political Compass Coordinates: 9.00, -2.62 - www.politicalcompass.org))
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To: airborne
It has been stated over and over again... We do not use this technique routinely.

Actually, I don't think we use it at all, anymore. I acknowledged that before, and I have no problem with that.

I was addressing the "Do whatever it takes/ticking time bomb" argument. I think our current policy is right on the money.

I also don't think waterboarding is torture, just to be perfectly clear. I think we should be able to set reasonable limits on interrogation techniques without applying false labels or resorting to International Law, whatever that is.

69 posted on 11/09/2007 7:06:54 AM PST by gridlock (Recycling is the new Religion.)
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To: RDTF

Well, it works. There is undeniable proof that it does.

So we have to look elsewhere for his motivation.


70 posted on 11/09/2007 7:08:01 AM PST by airborne (Proud to be a conservative! Proud to support Duncan Hunter for President!)
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To: MNJohnnie

I have thought about the topic. Long and hard. Torture is beneath us, regardless of how you cut it. The only ones being “pseudo-intellectual” are the numbskulls who engage in the “ticking time-bomb” scenario argument style.


71 posted on 11/09/2007 7:08:28 AM PST by arderkrag (Libertarian Nutcase (Political Compass Coordinates: 9.00, -2.62 - www.politicalcompass.org))
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To: RDTF

I’ve spent about a half an hour reviewing Mr Nance via google.

It seems - but I’m not sure - he owns/leads a contracting firm in Iraq. If thats true - again I’m not sure - I wonder why that isn’t mentioned in this article.


72 posted on 11/09/2007 7:09:28 AM PST by Badeye (Ron Paul joined 88 Democrats.....)
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To: MrB

Yes, I must be being tricked. It can’t be that I actually oppose this form of interrogation because i’ve thought it through long and hard.


73 posted on 11/09/2007 7:09:48 AM PST by arderkrag (Libertarian Nutcase (Political Compass Coordinates: 9.00, -2.62 - www.politicalcompass.org))
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To: Badeye

which one?


74 posted on 11/09/2007 7:10:16 AM PST by RDTF ("Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear". Mark Twain)
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To: arderkrag
So in the spirit of Dennis Prager, who believes clarity is more important then agreement, you believe prohibiting the government from causing the extreme mental and/or physical discomfort of a person planning to commit mass murder, strictly as an attempt to stop that murder, is more important than saving the lives of innocent people?

Again, just looking for clarity, not agreement.

75 posted on 11/09/2007 7:10:25 AM PST by safeasthebanks ("The most rewarding part, was when he gave me my money!" - Dr. Nick)
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To: George W. Bush
If it’s good enough for the Spanish Inquisition and the Soviet Union, it should be good enough for us.

Except water boarding and the water torture used by the Sovs are two completely different things as anyone who bothers to learn a single fact rather then mindlessly cling to knee jerk emotion based Neo isolationists dogmas knows full well

76 posted on 11/09/2007 7:10:58 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Pacifism is not moral. True morality requires evil be opposed, not appeased)
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To: arderkrag

Nice you have feelings. Your feeling are not facts. Learn the difference. Your ignorant, emotion based posting here demonstrate a serious lack of even a basic understand of the issue.


77 posted on 11/09/2007 7:12:16 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Pacifism is not moral. True morality requires evil be opposed, not appeased)
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To: safeasthebanks

Improper phrasing of the question. Standing on our principles is just as important as preservation of the nation, in fact, they are one and the same.


78 posted on 11/09/2007 7:12:31 AM PST by arderkrag (Libertarian Nutcase (Political Compass Coordinates: 9.00, -2.62 - www.politicalcompass.org))
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To: MNJohnnie

See me later post. I am not the one engaging in emotion based arguments.


79 posted on 11/09/2007 7:13:00 AM PST by arderkrag (Libertarian Nutcase (Political Compass Coordinates: 9.00, -2.62 - www.politicalcompass.org))
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To: airborne

Look at how the left has acted since 9/11.

EVERY method that the US has used in the war on terror has been opposed. Everything from the massive bombs used in Afghanistan to foreign to foreign wiretapping to aggressive interrogation (including loud Britney Spears).

They either expose it to make it ineffective, or try to get it outlawed.

They deny that they want America to lose the war on terror - but if they DID, how would they act differently?


80 posted on 11/09/2007 7:13:23 AM PST by MrB (You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
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