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Pros And Cons Of Waterboarding

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identify individuals that have been presumed as terrorists. Few confirmed terrorists actually come out of this process of identifying suspected terrorists, yet they all still have to go through hours of interrogation and torment. For example, in the two and a half years following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, U.S. intelligence agencies arrested more than five thousand suspected terrorists. There was sufficient hard evidence to bring formal charges against only three of these suspects and only one of these three was convicted (Scarry, 2005). As long as torture is an option for interrogating a suspect, it is inevitable that many innocent people will be tormented and have to live with that, suffering for the rest of their lives.
Although there are different practices for torture. A common one is known as waterboarding. Waterboarding is a method of water torture where water is poured over a …show more content…

Torture is not possible without the brutalisation of the torturer; you must ‘lose your soul’ if you are to save the victims. (Pfiffner, 2005: 20; Mayer, 2005) “To torture requires us to overcome our socially conditioned abhorrence of violence and to accept the psychological repercussions.” (Shue, 1978: 130) If torture becomes approved, then the supposed guilt felt by the torturer is weakened. Since the act is no longer illegal it will justify his actions and so reduces the level of guilt, and in turn this in contrary affects for what is seen as moral. If no guilt is felt then one cannot feel he has committed an immoral act. The argument supporting legally sanctioned torment fails to notice the other suffering that is done; the harmful psychological and social ramifications endured by people who must practice and follow through with torture. When someone is expected to torture others it can become very problematic morally for that

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Under fairness ethics, it is not fair for the torturer to deal with these consequences. To better understand fairness turn the tables around and determine if the same treatment is justifiable. Think about the invasion in Iraq, what if an Iraqis capture an American? Should Iraqis torture the American in efforts to learn which areas in Iraq need evacuation to save lives (Mayerfeld 2008)? Individuals would not be hesitant to defend the American’s rights and oppose torturing him This biased opinion develops only the basis of who is the victim. Hence, emphasizing the lack of equality when evaluating the morality of using torture.

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In its effort to combat terrorism, the United States produced more terrorists and terrorist sympathizers using enhanced interrogation techniques, straining the relationship with the local Iraqi and Afghanistan populace. Indeed, images of United States soldiers torturing detainees served as a powerful recruitment tool for Sunni jihadists who were able to persuade local nationals to support their crusade. Furthermore, the United States’ use of enhanced interrogation techniques proved to be ineffective as the information collected from interrogations was inadequate to combat the terrorist threat. Based on the available literature regarding the use of United States enhanced interrogation, three recommendations are provided. • Preserve Executive Order 13491 -

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Torture is mainly seen as morally wrong. The Los Angeles Times wrote about what the readers think about torture. In the article Torture is wrong: Readers agree, even if most Americans might not, discusses the opinions of their readers on how morally wrong torture can be even if it’s to a terrorist. One of the responses on the Los Angeles Times was from Martin Wauson of Westminster saying, “Injuring or killing an informant defeats the purpose of interrogation” (Los Angeles Times). The point of interrogating a terrorist is to gain information on what ever the problem may be.

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Torture isn't just wrong morally but legally according to the Geneva Convention and needs to end. There is no guarantee that torture actually

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Bandura suggests that "Here the function of torture is not to solve some mysterious crime, rather torture is used as a hegemonic tool to silence political opponents” (Bandura 1). Torture isn't always used to solve a crime: However, sometimes it can be used as a way to silence political opponents. In addition to silencing political opponents, sometimes torture is generated by the fear of someone losing power. Following, "Torture is usually triggered by the hegemonic crisis of the ruling elite.

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Many people use torture to mess with people's mind and to use it against them. They force people to confess and use it to their advantage against people. Orwell states, “A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces in with a sledge hammer, seemed to flow through the whole group of people ... turning one even against one's will like an electric current, turning one even against one's will into a grimacing, screaming lunatic” (Orwell 11). In the book, 1984 Big Brother used torture to their advantage to gain power. In many countries, they do the same thing and many people believe this is not the right thing to do.

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The government knew that this new way of interrogation for the suspects was going to be painful, and shocking and far beyond of what the country had ever accepted. Torture is unnecessary in the article titled ¨Senate overwhelmingly bans torture across U.S. government¨ the journalist from CNN explained that the senate has banned torture for multiple reasons. The senate bans torture across the U.S. government, torture was banned because it was unnecessary and a current law already bans torture. U.S. officials describe torture as ¨unnecessary, cruel, and inhuman¨ and it is considered degrading treatment or punishment, they believe anything past interrogation it compromises our values and assures that the United States will never go down that dark path again.

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For many years, the US Government has used basic interrogation techniques in order to force information out of prisoners and terrorists. However, after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the US Government initiated what they called “Enhanced Interrogation”. They initiated this process with the goal in mind to get more information out of terrorists or potential terrorists for the prevention of future attacks. No matter how controversial the methods, the CIA’s new methods may have good intentions, but proved ineffective when it mattered most. One method of interrogation used that most people are familiar with is a technique called “waterboarding”.

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Sadly, torture is generally prohibited but I feel as if it still goes on; more often than we’d like to think secretly. It is also a bit disturbing how our President agrees with such heinous actions. I also find it disturbing how the CIA director Mike Pompeo used the term “enhanced interrogation techniques” as a way to avoid the word torture. Sure, torture is effective at times, but how does that make us as a society any better than those who we are claiming to be terrorists?

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Another perspective of torture is expressed by Immanuel Kant, and also influenced a change in my opinion. Kant argues that a person is good or bad depending on the motivation of their actions, not the goodness of the consequences of those actions (Sandel 2009). As Kant said, if someone's emotions and desires cause them to do something, then it is not morally right because it wasn't motivated by moral or ethical rules. For example, in a real world situation, where the subject killed someone close to you, the motive of the torturer is not that simple. Anger, can easily take over under these extreme circumstances.

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“When you torture prisoners, you blur the distinction between good and evil, right and wrong. Any acts of human brutality inevitably creates sympathy for monsters who would otherwise be scorned or forgotten” (Messerli). Torturing prisoners, such as what has happened with prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, is never acceptable for the United States. Torture can provide some intel, and it can be a temptation for many reasons. Nevertheless, using torture makes us no different

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There are multiple types of torture that a person may go through and there are many reasons as to why it is not right in the slightest. One will begin to sink down to the level of thinking like the torturer and believing that what is happening to them is not completely wrong. Not only will they devalue their victims, but they will also go as far as dehumanizing the victim in order to make the torturing easier to do. One could either say that it is always moral, but there will be those who agree to disagree. Torture should never be justified and is in no way moral.

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Its real aim is to break down the victim’s personality and identity.” Torture is used as a tool of repression against conflict and community empowerment. Torture has been occurring for centuries, but we live in a world where we think of ourselves as highly advanced, not only technologically but

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So as you can see torture isn’t always used to harm someone, But used to help get out information on terrorism or a terrorist attack that could endanger people. Even if torture was illegal everywhere it would still be used because no matter what torture has been around for many years and years. As said that Torture is practiced in more than 90% of all countries in the world big or small, dictatorship or democracy it will always be used to get information out of

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955 Words | 4 Pages

Torture is universally prohibited in both national and International law worldwide. It is a fundamental violation of human rights that cannot be derogated from. Essentially, torture is said to constitute any physical and mental act by which severe pain or suffering is intentionally inflicted upon a person ( UNCAT).Torture is mainly used for purposes that are set out to degraded, embarrass, and induce destruction in the person being subjected to torture and those in close relation to the person being tortured .Torture is a mechanism used by those in authoritative positions to preserve themselves in power (Power, 2006:2). Despite the universal prohibition on torture, its use has been widespread throughout history, and especially of late in the wake of September 11 2001 and other recent terrorist atrocities to combat the aforementioned heinous terrorist attacks.

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