Torture - What is the Correct Definition?

Let me open by saying that I totally agree with the premise that under normal circumstances nobody should be inflicted with torturous techniques. Period the end. I don't think that anyone, left or right, would disagree that the deliberate use of torture for no apparent purpose is absolutely wrong and should not be tolerated.

That argument however, does not carry a great deal of sway when we are talking about the safety of Americans and our allies around the world, during what can only be termed as a time of immense global insecurity. Not a war by definition, but very unsafe times. An argument exists that by torturing to get imperative information that will hopefully be used to save lives, we may be no better than the enemy that we are trying to combat. To that point I have two questions:

What constitutes torture?  
Is there some threshold by which those that oppose any degree of torture would accept it, were it to prevent an action brought by our enemies that would be so abhorrent and devastational as to justify it?

Is it perhaps possible that in the hatred of, and the rush to condemn the current administration no matter what (an administration that has no doubt committed significant blunders), the bigger picture has been lost? That is that we are fighting people that want us dead, and who do not play by the rules of the Geneva Convention. Far from it.

What Does The Geneva Convention say?

Should we go by the Geneva Convention when we determine what is an acceptable level of torture? Just what are some of the things that the Geneva Convention stipulates?

1. Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.

To this end the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:

(a) Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;

(b) Taking of hostages;

(c) Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment;

(d) The passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.

2. The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for.

(From the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights)

By Whose Definition Is Torture Determined?

I am not sure if the groups that seek to do us harm are abiding by all or any of these terms. One needs only to look at the attacks on 9/11 to see that is the case. In a manual discovered at an Al Qaeda safe house there was a description of the methods to use when interrogating and torturing a captive. Some of these included the use of:

Electric drills, hammers, blow torches, meat cleavers, pliers and wire cutters, chains, screw drivers, whips and handcuffs. Some of the drawings included the methods to be used for perpetrating some incredibly gruesome acts, including "how to drill hands, sever limbs, drag victims behind cars, remove eyes, put a blowtorch or iron to someone's skin, suspend a person from a ceiling and electrocute them, break limbs and restrict breath and put someone's head in a vice." (Fox News, May 2007)

Now let's compare these acts with some of those reported to be used by the U.S. in a Washington Post story on June 10, 2004. This story outlines and derides some of the "techniques" being used by the U.S. at Guantanamo Bay to "torture" the detainees or prisoners.

If we compare the methods in the terms of the Geneva Convention, or any other convention for that matter, we have to wonder why the outcry is over the actions of the U.S. to a much greater degree than that of our enemy. These are some of the ones mentioned:

"Some of the more severe methods available to interrogators in Iraq, if they got proper approval, include forcing detainees to sit or stand in stressful positions, using sleep or sensory deprivation, and using military dogs to intimidate. Others requiring prior approval included isolating a detainee from peers; pride and ego up or down, which means attacking someones personal worth and sense of pride; and "fear up/harsh," in which interrogators could yell at prisoners, throw things around the interrogation room and convince a detainee that he has something to fear, change of scenery up; change of scenery down; dietary manipulation; environmental manipulation; sleep adjustment (reversal) ; isolation for 30 days"; and a technique known as "false flag," or deceiving a detainee into believing he is being interrogated by someone from another country."

Does the end justify the means? It depends which case you are looking at.

Michael Haltman, President

Exeter Commercial LLC

Jericho, New York

The Political and Financial Markets Commentator

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The Torture Debate - Government's Sleight of Hand?

The torture debate may be a classic example of the old magician's "sleight of hand" routine. Watch what I'm doing over here in my right hand, while the actual trick is happening in my left.

Osama Bin Laden clearly stated the reason for Muslim hatred was the American presence in Muslim nations. Infidels on Muslim soil. Our mere physical presence has generated new legions of fighters and suicide bombers. In addition, the knowledge of American torture of Arabs and Afghanis is one of the best recruiting tools our enemies have.

And Arabs and Afghanis have made us pay dearly. The American occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan has led to over 5,000 US military deaths, and tens of thousands of horrible injuries and disabilities.

But, knowing the clear reasons for Arab anger, the American military and intelligence agencies still use torture...just like always.

The various American intelligence agencies, both military and non-military...you know, the "three initials" agencies like CIA, FBI, NSA, etc...have been capturing people and using "enhanced interrogation" techniques since their inception. The American populace simply doesn't know much about their history.

Why did the Bush Administration make a decision that they would disclose to the world that they had captured "enemy combatants?" They went further and disclosed that they had moved them to locations around the world, outside of the reach of American law. Then they started talking about "renditions," and various forms of torture like sleep deprivation, sensory deprivation, electric shock and simulated drowning, otherwise known as "waterboarding."(I refuse to disinfect and redefine the act of simulated drowning.)

Could it be to create a diversion?

Torture is the least of the many crimes that the American Federal Government has perpetuated over the last 150-plus years. Yet, while the American media trots out this story continually over months and years...even though it deserves the ink...it obscures the greater crimes done by the American Federal Government.

Greater atrocities are ignored while the feigned outrage in this country is largely focused on this single crime.

Here is a short list of atrocities performed by the US Federal Government:

o Theft of land from native Americans from sea to shining sea

o Abrogation of all treaties between the American government and Indian nations

o Murder and genocide of native American tribes

o The Civil War

o Internment of American citizens of Japanese origin at the beginning of WWII, and confiscation of their assets

o Atomic weapons used against civilian targets at Nagasaki and Hiroshima

o Overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and theft of the Hawaiian Islands

o The enactment of the individual income tax

o Attempted overthrow of Fidel Castro

o Ruby Ridge murders by FBI

o Branch Davidian massacre, Waco, TX

o Overthrow of other governments like Chile and most Central American nations

o Use of Depleted Uranium ordnance in Iraq, rendering the entire country radioactive and lethal, causing illness and horrific birth defects

o The Patriot Act

o The Department of Homeland Security

The American government has not strayed from its high principles. It does not possess any high principles. It simply had a moment of hubris mixed with indiscretion when it disclosed that it uses torture. It could have been a diversionary tactic, but I doubt it. The government is pretty sure that it can get away with anything because it does not fear its citizens. And why would it?

President Obama has not repudiated the use of torture with his actions, only with his words. He is simply returning the system to the secrecy that it enjoyed for the last 60 years. He encourages America to look forward, not backward, which in essence guarantees the status quo and immunity from prosecution for the torturers and the politicians who ordered it.

Don't get any weird idea that America is special, God's chosen nation to bring freedom to the world. The mass perception of American citizens is not reality. It is not that "city on a hill" that Ronald Reagan called it. Every king, potentate, Caesar, Czar, or Emperor throughout human history has committed mind-numbing atrocities on the populations they wished to subdue, conquer and plunder.

Including their own people.

Get some perspective, America. Torture is heinous, but your government is doing a lot worse things than torture. Save your anger and outrage for the really bad stuff.

Copyright 2009 by Russell D. Longcore

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