Posted on 01/14/2009 1:18:12 AM PST by gondramB
No! Under no circumstance can you ever allow the government such a power, else they will morph it into an instrument of policy against its perceived 'enemies'.
Under your "ticking time bomb" scenario, the moral justification would and has sufficed for individuals to violate the legal restriction, and rely on the compassion and honesty of competent authority to legally clear the action, based on its valid and detailed result. And if the result does save lives, but you are still hung out to dry, then you are secure in your own mind that you did the right thing for a society that you are not morally a part of.
LLS
O.K., so what?
From what I have read on this thread, I don’t agree that what Al-Qahtani experienced fits into the definition of torture.
This is PC posturing.
Let me answer your question with one of my own.
Describe to me the scenario where the president defies a Supreme Court ruling, which in today's tradition means an interpretation of the US Constitution (however wrong that interpretation might be), whereas the entire government has tacitly agreed that the Supreme Court has authority to do, and the political outcome to that president, where the other party controls the Congress and is hostile to his war power implementation?
You see, the situation is untenable for the president to get his own way here.
Now, in answer to your question, I think the Supreme Court is wrong. However, I am not in a position of power to oppose them, and I don't see how Pres Bush could get away with defying them on their ruling without impeachment.
Therefore, my original conclusion is correct; the real culprit is the US Supreme Court.
That 'ain't' torture. Just about every day of my first year at the Military Academy was worse than that. Not to mention Ranger School, and S.E.R.E. School and various other training.
No... what has happened is that Free Republic is infected with liberalism... this thread is a perfect example. In Mississippi... the anger is still boiling and we will NEVER forget 9/11!
LLS
No, sir, not at all.
The real culprit, in your scenario, is the People of the United States, acting through their Representatives in Congress assembled, to impeach the President.
Oh, By the way..... I’d be glad to pay extra for some sustained isolation.
Nothing better than getting away from EVERYONE for a month or so at a time......
Although I’ll admit that after a month or so, it is nice to grab a pizza and spend an hour or so with pleasant company.
Sounds like my sojourn at Boot Camp in Great Lakes! ;^)
Please....naked, tired and cold vs. electrocution, burning, hanging, drilling, etc.
In our society, after the information is gathered, clothes, food, warmth and medical attention. Muslims, all of the above and them some, and even after you talk you will either die of your injuries or get your head whacked off. But you will never live to tell about it.
So you want to say that by not torturing as bad as the enemy it is somehow better?
Please madam, that is like saying a prostitute who gets paid $50 is somehow different than one that makes $500.
Either way it remains prostitution.
And why do you jump to the conclusion that this criteria was not met? Do you blame America first in all situations or just selective areas?
Yeah, but there would definitely a difference in quality.
Besides that, he has a choice, he can give it up or except the consequences.
Personally, I could really care less.
“I would have taken it a step further- torturing his family in front of him.”
Then you would be no better than the enemy.
Excellent!
“Interrogation techniques used on Qahtani included sustained isolation, sleep deprivation, nudity and prolonged exposure to cold. He was hospitalized twice.”
That’s it?
He was made uncomfortable and even caught a cold twice? My heart frigging bleeds for poor Mr. Wanna-be Hijacker. Except for being naked and alone, I put up with worse in boot camp.
Too many Americans have far too many comforts and conveniences these days that they just take for granted.
If it takes torture to prevent another 9/11 or a brelin or Mumbai like attack here in the states then do it.
This dumb ass liberal lawyer is complaining about his torture, hell I went through worse during basic training in 1965.
The end justifies the means. Interesting, that’s the same “reasoning” that Obama uses......straight out of Alinsky’s book.
The ‘torture’ argument is torture. This post is an example of the inability to have any realitic discussion of the issue. Instead we have a bunch of weakwilled Western idiots, that think the we must be cuddley with Islam. These soap box moralist like in this post are immoral as they never seem to think about the innocents that have been tortured and murdered world wide by these poor Muslim prisoners. I say put it to a vote, the choice being, release to USA or small caliber applied to the back of the head.
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