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From the New Yorker:

"In an interview with one of three dozen right-wing radio hosts invited to spend a day broadcasting from the White House, Cheney was asked if he didn't think it was "silly" even to debate about "dunking a terrorist in water." "I do agree," he replied. The interviewer pressed: "Would you agree a dunk in water is a no-brainer if it can save lives?" Cheney: "It's a no-brainer for me."

The "dunk in water" they were talking about is waterboarding. It has been used by the Gestapo, the North Koreans, and the Khmer Rouge. After the Second World War, a Japanese soldier was sentenced to twenty-five years' hard labor for using it on American prisoners. It is torture, and torture is not a no-brainer. It is a no-souler. The no-brainer is the choice on Election Day.

Bush and his colleagues have indicated their approval of waterboarding. But how would Americans react if the situation were reversed? What would Americans say if captured United States troops were tied to a board, their faces covered in cellophane, and water poured over them until the point of retching? Would Americans then agree that waterboarding is a legitimate means to try and gather information?

It would, surely, be considered barbaric. Americans would protest against the inhumane torture. The US regime would decry it as a violation of universal conventions against torture. But when the US regime has its willing agents carry out torture, dissent at home is palpably muted. By the way, the average person can only hold out for 14 seconds under waterboard torture. Paws

Whats your point...

is cheney running for office...

What does this have to do with Education, My wages, Taxes, border security, keeping the government out of personal choices and other important to me things.

I am not saying that our treatment of other peoples combants is not important. I am saying it's not one of my immediate concerns.

Kinda like the price of tea in China... what do I care unless I drink tea from China.

AB

I'd waterboard the sons a bitches day and night if I could glean something from them about the next terror strike etc.

I guess I would ask who decides their a terorist, can they do it to a native born american. Besides all those people you mentioned are we not better than them. What if what the terrorists want is exactly what is happening, the loss of our freedom.

Well AB, it speaks volumes about us as a society. We don't treat people like that. We don't condone such treatment by anyone. Not on our behalf and certainly not in our name. I don't know if you have a child or a brother in the military but imagine if that person was captured and the enemy wanted to know where we were going to bomb or attack next. Would it be OK to water-board him, tie electrical probes to his testicles, or hang him upside down for hours? I don't think so. That's why we, as a society, behave in a humane fashion. That's what distinguishes a civil society from a barbaric one. Do onto others as you would have done to yourself. That's why the US military is appalled by this treatment. I think General Wesley Clark or John McCain may know a little more about this than you.

Cheney isn't running but if you want to clip his wings we need a change in Congress. Try and see the bigger picture.

My what a tough (old) dude you are! People in the interrogation business know that a person being tortured will tell you what he thinks you want to know. Torture can only beget torture. The moral high-ground is what we need and not the base satisfaction of torturing an enemy to death.

What you think of me dosen't make a hill of beans to me.

As far as torture. Being a Vet I do no a little something. It's called the Geneva Conventions. If as a soldier I got orders to use a prisoner in this manner I would not follow the order. It would be a violation of the oath I took. As far as effecting the way our soldiers are treated by our current enemy...

This action will have no effect... Our current enemy like so many before did not take part in the Geneva Conventions... and will not follow them anyway. The regular Iraqi army that existed before our invasion from what I have seen did not use torture... However the insurgents use it as a propaganda tool and as an actual weapon.

Do I want idiots like cheney in office NO... will my voice be heard come time to vote YES... that said this subject still is not one that is important in the long run... This war will be over and my wages will still suck... There is more than one Bigger Picture.

Paws,

I find myself in agreement most often with Canadians. Are all of you this wise? :):)

Can you put in a word for me with the Canadian immigration that if my compatriots decide to vote in yahoos, bigots and fundamentalists that I could come and live there!

Sadly the face of Canada is changing from peacekeepers to aggressors. Our new Conservative government is similar to your Republicans. The socialist base of our country is eroding quickly. But yes, I'd welcome you to this country anytime. Paws

If the waterboarder is interogating the waterboardee about a future attact, then said waterboardee has no idea what the waterboarder wants him to say except truth....
sign tough old Dude and stuff.