A patrol team from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division is responsible for searching suspected insurgent hideouts, capturing enemy combatants and bringing them in for questioning. On July 28th, 2011 the patrol team was in the city of Bagdad, Iraq when a roadside bomb takes out the first two vehicles in the convoy killing four soldiers. They immediately pull to the side of the road and take cover as the rest of the convoy comes under small arms fire. A long fight pursues, but the patrol team is able to disarm the insurgents and take them captive. The next day, back at camp, the platoon leader puts several soldiers from the patrol team in charge of interrogating one of the suspects. He explains the technique he wants used to obtain this information. The technique is called waterboarding. It is certain to get the results expected, but leaves the subordinates with a dilemma of whether or not its use will get them in trouble. Emotions are running high as the patrol team lost four of their own just the day before. What should they do? For them the answer may not be crystal clear because they are emotionally charged and probably not to concerned for the well-being of their captive. However, waterboarding should be considered torture because it violates Title 18, Part I, Ch. 113C of the United States (U.S.) Code; it is an act of inhumanity based on the U.S. Constitution’s Eighth Amendment, and it is against the international treaties set forth by the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions. To illustrate this point, however, one must first know what waterboarding is and its subsequent effects.
Waterboarding, as described in current media reports and congressional hearings, is an interrogation technique in which water is forced into a detai...
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...nst American personnel or some other form of interrogation that is worse.
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Our interrogation tactics have come a long way from using physical force to retrieve incriminating evidence, which was referred to as the “third degree”, to non-violent methods of obtaining information. We’d like to think that the system we have instilled in America is perfect and fair, but that is far from the reality. Although we have eliminated physical force from interrogations, the new equivalent implemented to the third degree is psychological torture. The nation-wide system used to interrogate potential suspects- the Reid Technique- is heavily flawed and corrupt. In his book Unfair, author Adam Benforado, unveils the truth behind modern interrogation style: it coerces suspects into producing false confessions by subjecting them to grueling
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The issue of torture is nothing new. It was done in the past and it’s done now in the 21st century. Without saying one side is right and the other side is wrong, let us discuss the part that we agree on and find common ground. We as Americans want to protect Americans from harms. So how do we prevent that from happening without torturing? It is impossible to get answer without some sort of questioning and intimidation techniques, since we know captured prisoners during war are not easily going to give up information. We know the enemy we face doesn’t follow the Geneva Convention or any law that pertains to war, so does that mean we shouldn’t also follow the Geneva Convention also, which prohibits torture? Of course not, because we want to be example for the world. Republicans argue that we have to do whatever is necessary to keep Americans safe, and Democrats argue it goes against our values and makes us look bad. We as Americans, as leader of the free world we
Is the intentional pain that an individual experiences justified if there is the potential to save the lives of many? Torture is the most used weapon in the “war against terrorism” but does it work? The purpose of this essay is to identify what the motives for torturing are, the effectiveness of torture, and important issues with the whole process of torture.
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Until there is a credible way to determine whether or not torture is in fact effective, I pass judgment that the practice should be discontinued. The question as to if the torture policy is a human rights violation or if it holds crucial necessity, is not answered in the essay. Applebaum explores the reality that torture possesses negative implications on the inflictor. After presented with the compelling stance and evidence, Applebaum raises the interesting question as to why so much of society believes that torture is successful. I agree that the torture policy is wrong, a point emphasized by Applebaum, contrary to the popular attitude surrounding the topic.
“Fight fire with fire” said Donald Trump. This is his view on what we should do with torture. (CNN) He thinks we should use waterboarding, because they are chopping off people's heads and drowning people in heavy metal cages. (PROCON)
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.