News-Record.com

If a nut was going to blow up your family, and water boarding would save them would it be torture?

There is a difference between an emotional response and one that is grounded in legal, moral, or ethical standards.

For example, I am opposed to the death penalty. However, if my child were raped and murdered, I have no doubt that I'd scream for vengeance. And that would be appropriate.

When I'm asked to think dispassionately about an issue it is quite different.

The question is: Does the end justify the means?

If water boarding saves one Americans life, I all for it. It amazes me that you read all water boarding, yet there is no out cry from the left wing media, about beheading Americans on internet. The question was BEFORE not AFTER.

John, you going to express your opinion?

I'm interested.

I don't know how it can be considered anything except torture.

I don't know what you're considering left-wing media, but there certainly was an outcry from virtually all American media.

And of course, one distinction that is important to make is who is doing the torture. In your example, Americans are the victims. In the case of water boarding, the controversy is putting the Americans in the role of "aggressive interrogator."

I am considering your paper left wing! Now a yes and no question for you. If a person had a dirty bomb set to go off inn Greensboro, and Doug Johnson knew the details that could save Greensboro.
Would you water board me , are let Greensboro get blown to hell?

Do you mean would I torture you? No.

Now a yes or no for you: would you tell me if I did?

Would you water board me ,"

Oooh, oooh, oooh! Can I answer?

Yes! Yes! I would waterboard you!

There are a few others I would waterboard as well. Not to get any information from them. I'd waterboard them just for the fun of it!

I glad you would save me and kill everyone in Greensboro. Of course I do not think the fine people of Greensboro, would like you.
Heck yes!!

I appreciate your position that the ends justify the means. Since you're creating imaginary scenarios, where do you draw the line? If you arrest a gang member and want to know the other gang members, would you torture him? You might be able to prevent a lot of crime and murder that way. A 16-year-old is on the lam for a hit-and-run accident, do you torture the parent to tell you where she is?

As Ed Cone links, torture isn't the most effective method of getting information.

http://edcone.typepad.com/wordup/2007/12/torture.html

If you could stop the murder of a innocent person, yes. I think its a little stretch on the 16 year old hit and run. As far as Ed Cone is concerned, I could give a flip about his opinion.
In my opinion he would have to move 1000 miles to the west to get to San Francisco. I have read his stuff before. Bye, I had enough of this, lets discuss something important my lousy putting. Maybe I could make the bad guys watch my putting, that is real torture.

Torturous? Yes.
Torture as defined by law? No.
Something may be "fraudulent" without meeting the legal requirements of a "fraud" crime.
I may consider the high price of gasoline to be "robbery" but it doesn't meet the legal criteria to be considered a crime.
Whether someone thinks an act is "torturous" is a subjective evaluation. Whether it meets the legal standard of "torture" is a decision for a court of law.
Heck, I pretty much consider country music to be torture...but it ain't illegal.

Out in the fresh air of western NC John Fogle of Blue Ridge Now.com says in his column of 12/7 that :

Waterboarding cannot be called torture

Almost 70% of the American public thinks that tortuure is justified when used against terrorists suspects to obtain valuable information:

Pew Research

Mark Davis a columnist for the Dallas Morning News says that anyone worked up about the occasional, carefully targeted waterboarding is simply not serious about protecting our nation:

A Confused Debate Over Torture

Finally, Vasko Kolmayer asks a serious question: Are a few moments of a terrorist's discomfort more important than the lives of the innocents he seeks to destroy ?

The Case For Waterboarding

Well, a survey, a newspaper columnist and someone I've not heard of...that's enough for me! I'm convinced!

John,

Go Goggle yourself

That was a misfire

John,

Go

http://www.google.com/ yourself

That was a misfire

John,

Go

http://www.google.com/ yourself