Comments on: Does Torture Work? The Debate Heats Up

[bigmo47]

All of the people saying that its leftists that don't agree with torture, just remember, John McCain said on several occasions that he doesn't agree with torture under any circumstances. He more than anyone should be able to qualify as an expert on the subject. So even if President Obama had not been elected, we would still be dealing with this subject right now.

Not only do most interrogators believe that torture is not an effective technique. The CIA has proven it by admitting that they waterboarded 2 captured Al Qaeda leaders at least 266 times. If it was effective, why would you have to do it so many times?

Not making this up. Here is a link to the story:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/20/cia.waterboarding/

[notblue]

vettruner, you people believe that waterboarding one terrorist even if it means saving tens of thousands of innocent lives is unacceptable. you have a right to those beliefs. I however believe that subjecting one terrorist to that type of interrogation technique which saves those lives then it is "unacceptable" not to do it. Nothing you can say would make me change my view it is that simple. You people still have not defined what is and is not torture SPECIFICALLY.

[iDragon13]

Some people just don't get it. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT WORKS OR NOT!!!!!!!! THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DOES NOT TORTURE!!!!!! This "debate" is just a right wing rouse to attempt to influence any potential investigation or jury which may be called upon in the future to prosecute Bush Administration officials.

[Vet_Turner]

notblue, What is wrong with you. You support pain/torture on someone else. What is wrong with you? You really need to go see a doctor. It is not funny in any way. That our government - of by and for the people - tortured in our name is simply unacceptable. And if you are justifying it in any way, that is also unacceptable.

[hotpaulie]

I consider myself pretty tough, but if you waterboarded me I would tell you anythingyou wanted to hear. If torture received so much good results don't you think Cheney and Bush would be flashing those results in our faces???

[HenryDorsettCase]

Wow, I can't even believe this is being discussed. During WWII, we faced an enemy who tortured, performed experiments on people and ruled by terror. We already had policies, both nationally and internationally, that forbid torture and the horrors we found within Germany when our troops marched in, solidified our beliefs that torture, in any form, is unacceptable. Now we are discussing whether it works. Good grief people! Of course you can get people to talk by torture -- they will say anything, the truth or a lie, whatever you want to hear. And nobody is immune to torture. As expressed in the movie 'The Recruit', everyone will break under torture, it's just a matter of how long it takes. But that's NOT the point. The point is that it's inhumane and makes the torturers no better than the evil they are fighting against. "Because it works" is not a legitimate reason to act like a monster. If that were the case, then we would settle any international dispute with nuclear bombs "because it works". I thought the good old U.S.A. had learned this lesson in WWII. Do we actually have to learn this again first hand? Believe me, you don't want to do that.

[notblue]

vetturner, no one can really define what is torutre and what isn't. Obama himself said "other techniques" work better. What are those techniques? could they be considered "torture" . Is torture striclty defined as physical pain and or damage or can "psychological techniques" be defined as torture. Sleep derpivation can lead to death, is that torture? you people cherry pick waterboarding out of a political agenda not a defining one.

[notblue]

rogerinkart, your speculation is no more valid than those that claim these interrogation techniques in question work.

[Vet_Turner]

I am absolutely disgusted that I see this many people agreeing with torture. Please, everyone, just step back and minute and think about it. Those that torture and have authorized or ordered it are criminals: period. That?s the law. It is very simple; never a justification for a nation of laws to use it.
My father used to say that people are generally better than they think they are. The fact that learned individuals like Bybee, CIA officers and doctors were involved makes me question my own dead father. Yes, it is never, ever justified. And you know if it were justified at some point and a CIA officer got over rambunctious, that would be something to deal with on an individual basis but to think that this was a Presidential Administration. I am embarrassed.

As a pilot in Iraq, I once had two infantry guys start beating two Iraqis because they would not get in the helicopter. I pulled the power control levers off, I jumped out, and intervened and before we left, insured that the Iraqis had water and could breathe through their mask/hoods. Every good citizen should be doing the same thing to insure that the torture that took place under Bush, Dick Cheney, Choo, Bybee, and the CIA is never repeated. Thanks.

[biger-e]

People die and suffer brain damage during waterboarding, but your government and biased media aren't going to tell you that.
Posted by hower4

I heard cutting off someones head causes loss of oxygen to the brain as well.