Should civilized nations use "Enhanced Interrogation" techni

[kandrathe]

I didn't know you had a monopoly on this, but these 'anecdotes' are more then just that. They show us that even those condoning torture can be persuaded to be against it... by using torture;)

Um, I'm not sure what kind of twisted logic you like to use, but an example is merely that, an single data point in a vast universe of data points. Now, I could go hunt up another example to try to counter your example, but that is also fruitless because we'd merely have two data points in the universe of data points.

I have to admit you didn't say that water boarding is not a cruel torture method, with that many words. But why else would you bring up your remarkable capability to 'black out' when faced with drowning? It would be good if you can clear this up. Do you see water boarding as torture (of the kind that should not be allowed, under no circumstances)? Or do you think it is an acceptable way to obtain information or confessions (if the need is high enough)?

I think you are having the same problem with me, that you did with Pete. You have assumed something that is not true, merely to carry on an argument.

In my first post I said, that not all torture is the same, and not all reasons for torture are equal. I compared the violent torture used by the sheik in revenge for a deal gone bad, to that used by intelligence professionals to elicit information of future terrorist attacks which may have cost thousands of lives. My conclusion was that even though it would be "torturous", knowing that your captors would not let you die would free you to fully submit to unconsciousness without fear of death.

Jester says that you cannot control your subconscious, and I disagree and believe that with some training you can overcome the fear of being out of control in that situation. This is what I believe much of the training I've received over a number of topics has allowed me to do, that is, control my fear so that I can continue to be functional in a dangerous situation. The thought of being locked in a room with hundreds of rats, or biting insects might be "torturous" to someone who is extremely fearful, however once conditioned to "not be afraid" you might even be stung or bit numerous times without "freaking out". The same is true of water boarding. Taking a radio host, or a DOD official, who has not been so pre-conditioned is hardly proof or disproof of what I said. Many soldiers who might find themselves in enemy hands are pre-conditioned to resist torture, including water boarding. They might be a better test case to validate my claims, wouldn't you think?