Matthew Alexander, former U.S. Military Interrogator who tracked down senior Al Qaeda leaders in Iraq, was on with Ed last night to talk about waterboarding prisoners of war and what really led to more detailed information on Osama bin Laden's whereabouts.
The torture debate
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Wed May 4, 2011 2:09 PM EDT
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It doesn't mater whether or not anything came from it, there is only one way to look at water boarding, It's illegal and immoral and all the media hype is not going to change that. Cheney and Bush should be in prison. After WWII, we sent a lot of Germans to prison for torture, why should it be okay for us to do it?
Yes Cheney and Bush should be in prison.
An idiotic response from someone who doesn't even understand what waterboarding is....
Because it was insane and immoral to attack us. The people of the United States did not do anything to these people. If they had a beef with our government they should have brought it to the United Nations or to the news media to let the United States citizens know what our Government is doing to them. That is the correct way to do it not hijack planes and blow up buildings with innocent people.Our enemies know we are weak because we are trying to live civilized and they live like animals.But when it comes to war you cannot win being civil. There is a lot at stake with this situation. The United States needs to get tougher and win or come home. No more softening the blows take them out and if civilians get in the way apologize latter.
The "armchair generals" on the far left refer to "waterboarding" as torture without really understanding the technique, which only involves pouring water on the head of a prisoner with the purpose of triggering a gagging reflex and the panic of imminent drowning. It was used successfully to learn about terrorist operations planned by two of Al Qaida's top operatives – Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, involved in the planning of the 9/11 attack, and Abu Zubaida, another leader of the terrorist organization. Apparently both of these mass killers endured many hours of coercive interrogations without talking, but they sung like canaries after a few seconds of waterboarding. In both cases, there is reason to believe planned terrorist attacks were foiled as a result of this technique. Nevertheless, there is a growing chorus of opposition against any further use of waterboarding in similar or even more dire scenarios. I personally think Mohammed and Zubaida got off way too easy with waterboarding.
Here's why waterboarding is not torture. Do you know the U.S. military waterboards hundreds of our own soldiers every year? It is part of the conditioning Special Forces troops undergo to prepare for battle and the possibility of capture by the enemy. In other words, it's OK for us to do this to America's best and brightest but it's too horrible for our worst enemies? Does this make sense to anyone? Many Americans are simply confused about the real definition of torture. Since so little sacrifice is required of most Americans today and because so few have ever experienced combat, they equate momentary discomfort or fear with torture. They are not the same. My definition of torture is simple: It involves physical or mental abuse that leaves lasting scars. Cutting off fingers, toes, limbs – that would be torture. Forcing prisoners to play Russian roulette – that would be torture. Sticking hot pokers in the eyes of prisoners – that would be torture. But a few seconds of dripping water on a prisoner's face? That's not torture to me. You wonder why most citizens consider the Progressives WEAK on national security...
Yeah, yeah, yeah mike. You're a veteran. Why do you even bother to bring that up when there is no way to verify that statement in this forum? And, who the #%$& do you think you are, asking someone what they have done for their country? Is serving in the military the only way to be a patriot in your eyes? If so, why don't you ask the becktard, sister sara, howdy doody hannity,coultergiest, tokyo rose malkin, and the drugster, just to name a few righties, what they have done for their country? And , as far as waterboarding goes, what part of it's ILLEGAL don't you understand? It is a violation of the United Nations Convention Against Torture. In Feb., 08, Steven G Bradbury, acting head of the US DOJ Office of Legal Counsel said " There has been no determination by the Justice Dept. that the use of waterboarding, under any circumstances, would be lawful under current law". And you justify waterboarding by saying that " there is reason to believe....."? Nothing definitive? You try to explain why waterboarding is not torture. If it is not torture, what possible use could it be? If it's not that bad, why would anyone "break" ? Yes, by your definition, " a few seconds of dripping water", it probably wouldn't be that bad. But, again, what possible use could this be? Even John McCain is against waterboarding. The waterboarding that is used lasts longer than a few seconds. And nobody said it's alright to do this to our own troops. We do that to train and prepare them in case of capture. Just like we use a myriad of other training techniques to prepare our troops. You are trying to play CYA for the nopublicons, but that dog ain't gonna hunt. Just buy some more gold coins from the beckerhead, and quit sitting so close to the TV.
mikey doesn't know what he's talking about as usual. KSM started giving up intel A YEAR after he was stopped being waterboarded.
Mikey, if bush, cheney and rumsfeld considered waterboarding a rightous tactic, why are they wanted for war crimes in many other countries?
If torture worked so well, why wasn't bush able to kill OBL in his seven years left as president? Was it because he knew he had zero chance of getting him therefor giving up six months after 9-11?
It is stupid that Republicans are using WATERBOARDING as their signboard.
they think it is an olympic sport......lol.
Some are considering waterboarding on vacation this summer.