Comments on: Waterboarding is torture http://txfx.net/2008/04/23/waterboarding-is-torture/ Mark Jaquith's blog about capitalism, freedom, WordPress, the web, and personal topics Wed, 02 May 2012 07:17:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4-beta4-20838 By: Flohbude http://txfx.net/2008/04/23/waterboarding-is-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-623065 Flohbude Mon, 02 Jun 2008 06:27:06 +0000 http://txfx.net/?p=1642#comment-623065 [...] txfx.net) « [...] [...] txfx.net) « [...]

]]> By: Ashley S. http://txfx.net/2008/04/23/waterboarding-is-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-617670 Ashley S. Thu, 22 May 2008 19:07:20 +0000 http://txfx.net/?p=1642#comment-617670 Didn't we collectively HATE Sadam Hussein for the acts of torture he carried out? Isn't this exactly the kind of behavior that we are supposedly too advanced to stoop to? I honestly don't understand what's happening here.. I heard that most of Congress still hasn't read the Patriot Act thoroughly. I believe panic severly hindered their judgement and the higher ups fully took advantage of that. Didn’t we collectively HATE Sadam Hussein for the acts of torture he carried out? Isn’t this exactly the kind of behavior that we are supposedly too advanced to stoop to? I honestly don’t understand what’s happening here..

I heard that most of Congress still hasn’t read the Patriot Act thoroughly.
I believe panic severly hindered their judgement and the higher ups fully took advantage of that.

]]> By: Robert http://txfx.net/2008/04/23/waterboarding-is-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-605363 Robert Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:00:43 +0000 http://txfx.net/?p=1642#comment-605363 Oh yes. Normally I am loathe to watch any HBO produced mini-series, but Tom Hanks' company, Playtone, was at the helm. Historically factual, even with some poetic license here and there, and it didn't sugarcoat anything. I even learned a few things I didn't know. 6 parts though - so kinda long. Oh yes. Normally I am loathe to watch any HBO produced mini-series, but Tom Hanks’ company, Playtone, was at the helm.

Historically factual, even with some poetic license here and there, and it didn’t sugarcoat anything. I even learned a few things I didn’t know.

6 parts though – so kinda long.

]]> By: Mark http://txfx.net/2008/04/23/waterboarding-is-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-605336 Mark Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:30:32 +0000 http://txfx.net/?p=1642#comment-605336 Didn't catch that. Worth a watch? Didn’t catch that. Worth a watch?

]]> By: Robert http://txfx.net/2008/04/23/waterboarding-is-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-605306 Robert Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:47:35 +0000 http://txfx.net/?p=1642#comment-605306 Fair enough - btw, have you did you happen to watch John Adams on HBO? That is what made me think of how much you are like Thomas Jefferson. Fair enough – btw, have you did you happen to watch John Adams on HBO? That is what made me think of how much you are like Thomas Jefferson.

]]> By: Mark http://txfx.net/2008/04/23/waterboarding-is-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-605302 Mark Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:45:38 +0000 http://txfx.net/?p=1642#comment-605302 I used to be a lot more pragmatic. I was spending a lot of time arguing why Capitalism (in the overarching philosophical sense) is good because of its results (a pragmatic approach). What I found was that for every piece of pragmatic evidence in favor or it, there was one opposed, and one in favor of a more collectivist or authoritarian approach. Defending Capitalism with pragmatism is like playing Missile Command... having to constantly shoot things down. When it comes down to it, I don't really care if Capitalism is pragmatically superior. It is morally superior and biologically superior. So that's how I look at things. e.g. I don't give a damn that eliminating public education would result in a less intelligent populace (i.e. it is pragmatically undesirable)... it's a morally superior position. Plus, I sleep better now. Don't worry about how socialist health care in country X is better than free market health care in county Y -- it doesn't matter. I used to be a lot more pragmatic. I was spending a lot of time arguing why Capitalism (in the overarching philosophical sense) is good because of its results (a pragmatic approach). What I found was that for every piece of pragmatic evidence in favor or it, there was one opposed, and one in favor of a more collectivist or authoritarian approach. Defending Capitalism with pragmatism is like playing Missile Command… having to constantly shoot things down. When it comes down to it, I don’t really care if Capitalism is pragmatically superior. It is morally superior and biologically superior. So that’s how I look at things. e.g. I don’t give a damn that eliminating public education would result in a less intelligent populace (i.e. it is pragmatically undesirable)… it’s a morally superior position. Plus, I sleep better now. Don’t worry about how socialist health care in country X is better than free market health care in county Y — it doesn’t matter.

]]> By: Robert http://txfx.net/2008/04/23/waterboarding-is-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-605287 Robert Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:24:56 +0000 http://txfx.net/?p=1642#comment-605287 You and Thomas Jefferson have a lot in common, but not all the good things sometimes - like his complete lack of pragmatism. Love you lots Mark, but we'll just have to disagree on this one. You and Thomas Jefferson have a lot in common, but not all the good things sometimes – like his complete lack of pragmatism.

Love you lots Mark, but we’ll just have to disagree on this one.

]]> By: Mark http://txfx.net/2008/04/23/waterboarding-is-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-605251 Mark Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:32:06 +0000 http://txfx.net/?p=1642#comment-605251 That scenario only exists in <em>24</em> scripts. But let's pretend. Yeah, I'd want them to do what it takes to get the information needed to stop the nuclear threat. I'd also want them to face jail time for doing it. If Jack Bauer existed in real life, he'd be in prison, and rightfully so. But that's not the scenario that CIA interrogators are facing. So back in the real world where people are innocent until proven guilty and there are never millions of lives on the line, we shouldn't torture detainees. That scenario only exists in 24 scripts. But let’s pretend. Yeah, I’d want them to do what it takes to get the information needed to stop the nuclear threat. I’d also want them to face jail time for doing it. If Jack Bauer existed in real life, he’d be in prison, and rightfully so.

But that’s not the scenario that CIA interrogators are facing. So back in the real world where people are innocent until proven guilty and there are never millions of lives on the line, we shouldn’t torture detainees.

]]> By: Robert http://txfx.net/2008/04/23/waterboarding-is-torture/comment-page-1/#comment-605163 Robert Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:51:55 +0000 http://txfx.net/?p=1642#comment-605163 If it is a choice between a nuclear bomb going off in a US city and worrying about scaring the terrorist that planted it, I choose waterboarding the terrorist, and I am not the least bit ashamed of that stance, nor should anyone that believes the same. If it is a choice between a nuclear bomb going off in a US city and worrying about scaring the terrorist that planted it, I choose waterboarding the terrorist, and I am not the least bit ashamed of that stance, nor should anyone that believes the same.

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