I never fail to be amazed ...
The Constitution of the United States guarantees - actually recognises as pre-existing - certain 'rights' to U. S. citizens and persons physically in the limits of the U. S.
One such under discussion here forbids a 'forced' or coerced confession. Various court rulings have held a person in the U. S. accused of a crime cannot be tortured or otherwise 'coerced' into confessing to that crime.
Another 'right' is the prohibition against 'cruel or unusual punishment'; at the time referring to death by torture, branding or otherwise maiming the convicted felon.
None of this applies - until those in this nation seeking to weaken it got involved - to foreign combatants in regard to obtaining ongoing tactical or strategic information while involved in a foreign war. I quickly add, there are prohibitions against torture for political or propaganda purposes - as happened to Senator McCain - or torture for punishment or revenge.
I would find a great comfort if suddenly, all the whining leftists in this nation would understand the prisoners held at Guantanmo Bay are not criminals awaiting trial for violations of the various penal codes in the United States. Nor are they 'prisoners of war' in any sense covered by the Geneva Convention or Hague Accords.
They are non-uniformed and non-aligned thugs, backshooters and ruffians who were apprehended in the act of attempting to kill American soldiers or other allied soldiers or civilians.
Their status under international law is that of 'brigands and bandits' and historically have been summarily executed. The only reason they are alive is that the U. S. does not kill indescriminately and some may have some information beneficial to the anti-terrorist goals of the United States. By the way, does anyone know how many of the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay have been repatriated or otherwised released? That's for homework.
Torture traditionally involves maiming or injuring the victim. Senator McCain had his arms broken several times. Other U. S. soldiers have been cut, burnt, beaten and so forth by various enemies of the United States. Currently, the Islamofascists seem to prefer burning and ultimately beheading captives for political and propaganda purposes. Odd we hear nothing from the left in the United States petitioning the United Nations to bring sanctions against Al Queda for such actions.
Originally Posted by en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture
Torture is defined by the United Nations Convention Against Torture as "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act...
So, if a Muslim claims showing him a picture of Mohammed eating a pork chop causes him severe mental suffering, we have to stop. Is that correct? Frankly, gross stupidity causes me great mental suffering and I feel the left does it to me all the time for being a believer in both God and the United States. Will the U. N. make them stop?
Waterboarding falls into the category of serious discomfort. The 'pain' is short-lived physically, leaves no physical damage. The United States says they have done this action on a grand total of three people now, the longest for somewhat less than one minute. The information obtained has been instrumental in preventing attacks on both the United States and U. S. assets abroad.
For those who cannot differentiate between the limitations on police investigations in the U. S. and unpleasant but essentially humane and effective means of gathering information from those who would kill us all happily - you're torturing me. Please report yourself to the United Nations for re-education camp.
