Thursday, September 3, 2009

In the Torture Debate We Need to Get the Terms Straight

I am afraid that is not happening. In fact to even discuss this issue one gets in various quarters that you are a torture apologist. From the conservative side of the Catholics blogs sphere we have Pro-Ecclesia and Torture ... Excuse Me ... the Use of "Enhanced Interrogation Techniques" Works! And We Should STILL Oppose It . American Catholic comments on this at Torture: Wrong Regardless of Effectiveness.

The problem is it is not clear at all that all "enhanced interrogation" techniques are torture. I am talking about things other than water boarding.

I had a conversation with someone on this issue and they said even if one day of sleep deprivation caused someone to give up information that was illicit. I am not buying that at all. I am not sure why terrorist and people we are war at have the same rights as a criminal defendant on the USA as to interrogation. We are rapidly approaching that.

Again I am against torture but there must be a honest discussion on what "enhanced" methods are torture or not. If not just for the practical effect people should have some objectionable standard that they are committing a crime. If the standard is that torture is anything that makes a subject give up information despite not wanting too then we did to have that discussion

Francis Beckwith over What's Wrong With the World has :
Keith Pavlischek on Enhanced Interrogation Techniques and the Obama Administration. This guy is with the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

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