Wow.

[PT]

I was browsing www.pollingreport.com again and found this one. I wouldn't have thought this was the case at all.

Do you favor or oppose allowing the government to use any means necessary, including physical torture, to obtain information from prisoners that might protect the United States from terrorist attacks?"

Favor 44%
Oppose 42%
Depends 5%
Not Sure 9%

 

[Squiggy]

Yikes! We're being lured into the void....

 

[PT]

That scares the shit out of me personally. On one hand, I'd love to tie them up by the balls and beat the truth out of them with wire coat hangers, but.... If we allow this to happen, how long will it be before anyone arrested is tortured to get information?

 

[Luis G]

That'd only make any justice system as criminal as the criminals themselves.

 

[Squiggy]

My concern is that whatever we do so shall we reap....Our servicemen/women will be subject to the same or worse and there will be no validity in our opposition to it.
And yes, PT, it would open doors I don't ever want to see opened.

 

[ris]

i'm a firm believer in a moral highground, however idealistic and foolish it might be in reality. if we pertain to be the 'goodguys', the ones who act with the side of law then we must stand behind the very laws that we aim to protect.

otherwise, as luis stated, we become nothing more than the criminals we seek to stop.

 

[Gonz]

Agree with ris

 

[PT]

That's what gets me about the poll. More people favor it that don't. I really wouldn't have thought that, but I guess there are people that just don't think about it before responding.

 

[Q]

I wonder where they did that poll? A High school, a University? I wouldn't think ANY vetran would be in favor. So far we are 100% against in this thread.

 

[Gato_Solo]

I wonder where they did that poll? A High school, a University? I wouldn't think ANY vetran would be in favor. So far we are 100% against in this thread.

Damn straight. If we get captured, we'll probably see some folks tortured anyway, but opening that can of worms is insane at best, and most definitely short-sighted.

 

[Professur]

I have to add one point. What if. American taken prisoners are given over to another nation's questionners? Nations where bamboo sticks under the nails aren't illegal? There are lots of places in the world where prisoners are treated like cattle. Would that be the same to you?


And why do you think that the afgan prisoners are being kept in Cuba. Off US territory?

 

[unclehobart]

Gitmo is US territory. Its a postage stamp.. but a lock, stock and barrel Marine Corp base.

 

[Gonz]

And why do you think that the afgan prisoners are being kept in Cuba. Off US territory?

Naive & hopefully correct answer.

If they hit the US shores they become criminals. While they are in Cuba or Afghanistan or Nyrobi or wherever the hell they are, they're combatants & subject to military law. The detainees, in Cuba at least, are not being tortured. Forced to eat military drivel is not considered torture.

 

[Squiggy]

Gitmo is, for all intents and purposes, US soil. As are ALL of our embassies, worldwide.

 

[Professur]

Might be. But all you have to do is let someone go, don't you? Pick him up on the other side of the fence and he's fair game.

 

[Squiggy]

The other side of the fence is Cuba. I don't think we're allowed to saunter over there and kill people. Not today, anyway. Maybe tomorrow....

 

[unclehobart]

Fair game? As in a sniper shot to end the problem? Not likely. Gitmo is surrounded by its own version of the Berlin Wall, a no mans land, and another set of Cuban fortifications beyond that. The Cubans are watching everything 24/7. It couldn't go down like that without them reporting it.

 

[Professur]

Air drop a few pairs of Levi's on the Cuban side. Nobody's gonna see a thing.

 

[unclehobart]

It would be easier to just do it on our side and blame it on the Cuban snipers. Why not stick with the classics? Sergeant... I dun told him not to walk through that minefield... but he jus' wern't gonna listen.

 

[Professur]

Kinda hard to question the bits and pieces, ain't it?