"Stephen Trapani" wrote in message
...
Again, there is a level of immorality that justifies treating people
badly. Recently the badness of human took a big step downward with the
advent of extremists who actually target and are able to murder large
groups of innocent people. This new level of badness requires a
modification of the normal response. In other words, if you strongly
suspect someone of being about to kill a large group of innocent people,
there is justification in torturing him or of course even killing him if
it helps you stop it from happening.

Nope. There's no justification for torture. It's easy to claim the ticking
bomb scenario, but it just doesn't happen. None of the torture that went on
produced any useful intelligence.

Now having said that, lets contrast the US response, compared to those we
are fighting. The entire country was and still is up in arms for years in
questioning the morality of dunking vicious criminals in water and scaring
them. We may have done it, but we are concerned about doing it and spend
much time trying to figure out if it is over the line so we can stop.
Meanwhile, as a recruiting tool, the enemy makes videotapes of themselves
cutting off innocent kidnap victims heads in order to attract more people
to their cause. No remorse of any sort, only further celebration and
congratulations have ever been evident. See the massive difference? So we
haven't really sunk anywhere at all, morally.

We are directly comparable to those we are fighting if we follow the line of
reasoning that torture in some cases is ok. It isn't. That's what would
separate us from them, but since we have tortured are argument is really
watered down.

Meanwhile, if we've got a line on someone who we've discovered is about to
murder another few thousand people, what actions are justified to get him
to reveal information that can stop it? Harsh language only?

It's a fun strawman argument, but it hasn't happened. The fastest method of
getting information from a suspect is to treat that person with some
respect. Read Matthew Alexander's book "How to Break a Terrorist."


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com