Why don't these people just go away? Amnesty Takes Aim at 'Gulag' in Guantanamo.
Amnesty International whines about us because we are the only ones who listen at least some of the time. Other places, like Pakistan, the old Iraq, Mexico and a host of other places, all routinely use torture to extract information. And we are talking a lot more than just making the subject stand in uncomfortable positions. But we are supposed to be civilized and not use these barbaric methods at all. Well, we aren't. Not by real standards anyway. We don't physically harm the prisoners, but we do cause mild amounts of pain. It's the only way to get these people to talk.
AA is a bunch of do-gooder Liberals trying to look effective by bullying us around because we don't treat our prisoners like royalty. They can go straight to hell, because I understand that things like this is necessary when dealing with bad people. AA does not understand the amount of restraint we exert upon ourselves not to actually torture these people.
There is a fine line and we are doing our best to stay on the right side of it.
First, studies prove that torture doesn't yeild useful information most of the time.
Secondly, if the US is unsuccessful in it's torture, then they just send those detainees to the countries that do the horrific torture - like boiling people alive. Do you realize that the many of those in GitMo are innocent - at least that's what's coming out now that we're finally releasing some of the prisoners.
Third - and most important - The US's policy of not torturing prisoners is designed to protect our troops that might be captured and become POWs. Really - could you blame a country for torturing our guys if that's what we're doing to theirs? Someone has to stop FIRST - something tells me it's not going to be them.
I don't call beating prisoners to unconsiousness is causing "mild amounts of pain". Many have died during transport to Gitmo or Abu Grahib - there are over 500 prisoners who have been there for an extended period and have yet to have their case heard.
Read these:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/20/international/asia/20abuse.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3509750.stm
http://hrw.org/backgrounder/usa/gitmo1004/2.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/3504034.stm
Now tell me that the US isn't torturing anyone. Wouldn't you like to know that AA was around if you happened to be "detained" as many of these innocent men were?