The Iraq war was a protracted armed conflict that began with the 2003 invasion of Iraq led by the United States. The conflict, however, continued for much of the next decade as an insurgency emerged to oppose the occupying forces and the post invasion Iraqi government. In “Regarding The Torture of Others.” Susan Sontag introduces, the tragic record of events to explore the power of photographs to tell a story that words cannot bring to light. Sontag explains how, The Bush administration was shocked by the photos, but not the crime, that was happening in the images or what they depict. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld uses the word “Abuse” and “Humiliation” from the picture but felt like the torture is not used in the correct context in …show more content…
The word “Genocide” was used in the Tutsis in Rwanda was being slaughter. Sontag then goes on giving us the definition of torture that come form convention against torture and other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment. Sontag is say even humiliate the victim is a form of torture. (Sontag pg.1) Sontag mention that American torture their prisoners would contradict everything. Like we say America should be the land of the free. When the president was giving his speech. “ But, he went on he was” “Equally sorry that people seeing these pictures didn’t understand the true nature and heart of America.” The meaning of this is hath if we go around doing torture but we look down on it what do that say about us. Sontag ask us a question “What makes some actions Representative and others not?” then she goes on to answer the question torture was done by individuals, but wither is was systematics stating that even one person did something cruel the whole team is affected by this kind of bad behavior.(Sontag pg.2) Even as a wholesome people in the military didn’t do the photographs but everyone was looked at as a whole but not as an
The physical and mental intent to destroy another being often unveils the darkest side of human nature. In the memoir, “An Ordinary Man: An Autobiography” dedicated to the Rwandan genocide, war hero Paul Rusesabagina states: “A sad truth of human nature is that it is hard to care for people when they are abstractions, hard to care when it is not you or somebody close to you. Unless the world community can stop finding ways to dither in the face of this monstrous threat to humanity those words never again will persist in being one of the most abused phrases in the English language and one of the greatest lies of our time.” The United Nations promised never again would they allow genocide to occur after the Second World War. Unfortunately, less
Who wouldn’t have agreed? Yes, torture is cruel but it is less cruel than the substitute in many positions. Killing Hitler wouldn’t have revived his millions of victims nor would it have ended war. But torture in this predicament is planned to bring no one back but to keep faultless people from being sent off. Of course mass murdering is far more barbaric than torture. The most influential argument against using torture as a penalty or to get an acknowledgment is that such practices ignore the rights of the particulars. Michael Levin’s “The Case for Torture” discusses both sides of being with and being against torture. This essay gets readers thinking a lot about the scenarios Levin mentioned that torture is justified. Though using pathos, he doesn’t achieve the argument as well as he should because of the absence of good judgment and reasoning. In addition to emotional appeal, the author tries to make you think twice about your take on
The word genocide was derived from the Greek root genos (people) and the Latin root cide (killing), and did not exist in the English language until 1944, which was the end of World War II (Power). According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, genocide is “the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group.” Such violence occurred during the Holocaust and during the separation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The problems of ethnic cleansing and repression have become so prevalent in the last century that they have contributed to two world wars, over fourteen million deaths, and a new word. United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, said, “Far from being consigned to history, genocide and its ilk remain a serious threat. Not just vigilance but a willingness to act are as important today as ever.”
Levin wants to change the negative views that society placed on torture so that, under extreme circumstances torture would be acceptable. He begins his essay with a brief description of why society views the topic of torture as a negative thing. He disagrees with those views, and presents three different cases in which he thinks torture must be carried out with provides few reasons to support his claim. He uses hypothetical cases that are very extreme to situations that we experience in our daily lives. From the start, Levin makes it perfectly clear to the reader that he accepts torture as a punishment. He tries to distinguish the difference between terrorists, and victims in order stop the talk of terrorist “right,” (648). Levin also explains that terrorists commit their crimes for publicity, and for that reason they should be identified and be tortured. He ends his essay by saying that torture is not threat to Western democracy but rather the opposite (Levin
of torture as necessary and important in order to safeguard the lives of the many innocents
Ex-president George W. Bush asserts, “Abu Zubaydah also provided information that helped stop a terrorist attack being planned for inside the United States -- an attack about which we had no previous information.” Abu Zubaydah was a high-ranking Al Qaeda official who was water boarded (Luban, 1). Water boarding is a form torture that simulates drowning. Through this form of torture, the US was able to receive vital information that led to the prevention of a bomber decimating a bridge. Moreover, the CIA was able to extract this information and incarcerate the criminal. Though many lives were potentially saved, Bush was criticized for allowing the action of torture. He se...
the virtue of America). How can the United States tell other leader not to torture, but do the same thing they accuse dictators of doing? The United States as the leaders of free world was not living up to its own humanitarian standards. What the Bush administration was saying and what they were doing was completely opposite. Sontag reminds us that, “we are not talking about a rare case of, ticking time bomb situation, in which case torture could be justified”. It was general gathering of information Sontag also points to history to say the United State is not the first democracy to torture; “the Belgians in Congo, the French in Algeria both practices torture and other kinds of humiliation”. Again she is not justifying torture, but she is pointing out that it was done in the past by the western government not that long ago, during colonial
Genocide is the “deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group.” (Dictionary.com, 2010) In 1924, after World War I, Belgian colonists entered Rwanda and allowed the Tutsi dynasty to remain in power. However, after World War II concepts of right and wrong changed. Since the Belgians had been favouring the Tutsis, this change in ethics caused the Belgians to have compassion on the Hutus and promote the Hutu cause, creating tension. (Thompson, 2007) It was the Belgians who cre...
Applebaum believes that torture should not be used as a means of gaining information from suspects. Applebaum's opinion is supported through details that the practice has not been proven optimally successful. After debating the topic, I have deliberated on agreeing with Applebaum's stance towards the torture policy. I personally agree with the thought to discontinue the practice of torture as a means of acquiring intel. I find it unacceptable that under the Bush Administration, the President decided prisoners to be considered exceptions to the Geneva Convention. As far as moral and ethical consideration, I do not believe that it is anyone's right to harm anyone else, especially if the tactic is not proven successful. After concluding an interview with Academic, Darius Rejali, Applebaum inserted that he had “recently trolled through French archives, found no clear examples of how torture helped the French in Algeria -- and they lost that war anyway.” There are alternative...
To start off with, what is genocide? Genocide is the killing of a massive number of people of in a group. Genocide has not only been practices in the present day, but it has been practiced for m...
Torture has been around for centuries. Religious groups practiced torture as modes of punishment within the religion. During medieval times, torture was considered an acceptable form of punishment and way to get information within courts. Up until World War II, torture was considered normal. It was just acceptable in society. People who break the law have to suffer through it(Woodard). Leading up to World War II, torture was practiced all around the city of Berlin, Germany in secret houses, prisons, and camps. One such location is a café turned murder basement on a quiet street. Little do the investigators know, there are 220 more of these torture sites all around Berlin. This web of torture, not only in Berlin, but a...
Paradigms of Genocide: The Holocaust, The Armenian genocide, and Contemporary Mass Destructions, 156-168. Sage Publications Inc., 1996. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1048550
Russel-Brown, Sherrie. “Rape as an Act of Genocide.” Berkeley Journal of International Law. 21:2 (2003): 350-374. Google Scholar. Web. 28 April 2014.
When the Rwandan Hutu majority betrayed the Tutsi minority, a destructive mass murdering broke out where neighbor turned on neighbor and teachers killed their students; this was the start of a genocide. In this paper I will tell you about the horrors the people of Rwanda had to face while genocide destroyed their homes, and I will also tell you about the mental trauma they still face today.
Torture is the process of inflicting pain upon other people in order to force them to say something against their own will. The word “torture” comes from the Latin word “torquere,” which means to twist. Torture can not only be psychologically but mentally painful. Before the Enlightenment, it was perfectly legal to torture individuals but nowadays, it is illegal to torture anyone under any circumstances. In this essay, I will demonstrate why torture should never acceptable, not matter the condition.