Friday, October 05, 2007

Althouse Asks

Ann Althouse is asking if torture is acceptable in any circumstances?

"Painful physical and psychological tactics, including head slapping, simulated drowning, and frigid temperatures."

The White House admits today that it approved the use of "painful physical and psychological tactics, including head slapping, simulated drowning, and frigid temperatures" for terrorism suspects in CIA custody. It denies that these things constitute torture, which it calls "abhorrent." Whether or not it is torture, is it not abhorrent?
My first thought was:

They should have just made them eat pork chops or greased their clothes with lard, or made them kiss a dog.

That's not torture, it's lunch.

My second though was:

We do in fact accept that pain is allowed in society to benefit others. In fact some people believe some pain is a requirement in order to benefit others. Usually it is the same people who cry the loudest about torture in war. What is the main mechanism?

Its called taxes.

The only thing in question is the acceptable level.

5 comments:

Rae Ann said...

Hello, you might not be too surprised that I'm not too offended about the use of torture on certain detainees. ;-)

M. Simon said...

rae ann,

So nice to have you visit.

I'm honored!

Reliapundit said...

torture is not pain. unless you define down. which the left wants to do to hurt bush and aid the enemy. their 2 favorite past times.

linearthinker said...

Torture?

This is old news, and this comment's only echoing what others have said over the years, but those of us who were "captured" by the aggressor force in some E&E training years ago experienced all that Althouse can dredge up and more. And that was courtesy of our army trainers.

The best take on her gripe came from my favorite local talk show host discussing AbuGrab, before he got canned for suggesting the local ACLU offices might look good in flames.

"You call that torture? I've done worse than that to people I like!"
Jazz McKay, KMJ580

RP is right. And, he's not shouting for a change. Must have sobered up.

Anonymous said...

Wow yeah, you know, some people pay money to get treated like that. Well not exactly like that, I mean they know that they're going to be untied in an hour or so, and that they won't be killed or permanently maimed or held indefinitely, and that their families aren't being threatened, and it's something they're into, but aside from that it's pretty much the same deal. It's just like how some people like buttsex, and thus it's okay to just go ahead and do that to whomever you want.