justoneminute.typepad.com — I don't know how seriously terrorist-coddling liberal elites take this question, but let me take a stab - terrorist attacks of the type seen in America tend to be rare and extremely damaging, so preventing them is extremely valuable.
Jan 6, 2010 View in Crawl 4
phaedrynJan 6, 2010
Um...this isn't new. The only thing about it that is remotely different now is that it is FAR more publicized. Nothing else has changed. If anything, we are more restrained now than we have ever been in previous conflicts.Armed conflict isn't (and never will be) about morality, it's actually the antithesis of a moral activity. Note, Im speaking of the actual activity, not the reasons. Courtesy and civil behavior? Only as far as it is convenient to do so. Like it or not that is, and always has been, the way of conflict.
joeparanoidJan 7, 2010
Because we're amoral pussies who believe Hollywood claptrap.
rizzo2008Jan 7, 2010
I somehow doubt most Americans agree with torture. Often all these tactics do is embolden the prisoner and lower the quality or accuracy of any information given.
Closed AccountJan 7, 2010
We CAN object only because we have not been engaged in that sort of behavior -- or at least we could. But I don't see how we can object now. How can we tell people not to torture our servicemen when we torture prisoners? We don't need Amnesty International or the ICRC telling us we commit torture -- we had the President & Vice President BRAGGING about how they used torture to get information. It was something these two war criminals were proud of. (And yes, Bush & Cheney are war criminals. We sent Tojo to the gallows for doing exactly what they did -- Waging wars of aggression & ordering, authorizing & permitting inhumane treatment of prisoners.)
Closed AccountJan 7, 2010
When I was in the Army as an intelligence officer, we were told that information extracted under torture was virtually worthless because the person was likely to tell you whatever he thought you'd want to hear.
phaedrynJan 7, 2010
“Then why did we have those war crimes tribunals after WWII? Why do we bother with the Geneva Convention? How dare we object when the Japanese slowly disemboweled our POW's. The Rape of Nanking & the Bataan Death March were just part of everyday life & shouldn't cause anyone any problems.”Answer to your questions? We won. Its that simple. Prosecutions for war crimes are political exercises, a pat on the back of the victors to show they were in the 'right', it has nothing to do with the actions of the troops in those conflicts. Geneva conventions? Only good for as long as it is convenient or expedient to follow them. That's reality. As for your last comment, I think you miss the whole point. This isn't about everyday life, in fact that's exactly the point.“I don't know about you, but I find these things barbaric. And as long as this is MY government, I don't want it committing any atrocities. This government belongs to us -- and it represents our nation in more ways than one. I, for one, do not choose for the world to see my nation as a nation of torturers.”I'm happy for you, it's irrelevant though. But go ahead and feel empowered if you wish.“Having been a soldier, I KNOW that wars are brutal. But I also KNOW that wars can be fought without stooping to the level of the barbarian.”Then you should remember the annual Law of Land Warfare briefings? I went through 12 of them myself. I also deployed for Operations Just Cause, Desert Shield/Storm, as well as served with MFO in the Sinai. Been there, done that, and can tell you first hand we have never entered a conflict where there were not regular violations of FM27-10. Ive said it before, there are few combat vets who have not participated in, witnessed, or have knowledge of an act that could be tried under the Law of Land Warfare. Such treaties, and regulations are purely political 'feel good' things that allow civilizations to sleep well at night, secure in the (false) belief of their moral standing. I have the feeling you weren't a combat arms MOS.War, actual war, it not civil in any way, shape, or form. You can try to make it so, wish it were so, but you will be no more successful than Don Quixote.