“The administration thinks it’s legal” doesn’t mean it was legal. Do you have any cite beyond that that torture was legal?
Yes, seriously. Of course, it is unlikely that an 11-year-old confirmed enemy combatant would have critical information.
No, not if she was “classified” it. If she was an enemy combatant with critical information, yes.
How is an official legal opinion of a highly placed government attorney not a “cite”?
It’s a cite (were it actually cited), but it’s just a cite about the opinion of the administration. That doesn’t tell us whether it’s legal or not, it just tells us whether or not the administration considers it legal.
So you’re perfectly fine with a country doing whatever it wants to extract information from prisoners, as long as that country deems it legal?
Why does her combatant status matter? If her dad told her to grab a gun and fight, that makes her worthy of torture?
Are there any tactics you would disallow (like, say, sexual assault and rape) against a 11 year old enemy combatant with critical information, or does anything go?
I’m learning a lot about some Dopers here. Stuff that really surprises me.
That’ll be nice, anal feeding 11-year old girls. Perhaps you and Uncle Dick can swap stories after?
magellan01, do you agree with Terr that it’s okay to torture an 11-year-old enemy combatant girl with critical info? If so, are sexual assault and rape allowed forms of torture?
But lets make sure, why don’t we? hurl
Care to attempt to square this with the UN Convention Against Torture?
From a moral perspective that’s a distinction without a difference, IMO.
Cool. Obama considers his executive power grab on immigration legal. Is it legal?
No, there are limits. I would limit it at real torture. Not loud music, sleep deprivation and awkward standing positions torture.
I think so, but we’ll probably soon find out for sure.
But what about that 11 year old girl? I thought you were fine with her being tortured – did you not mean “real torture”?
If her dad told her to grab a gun and fight, that’s not an enemy combatant. If she has been trained and participated in military operations against our forces, or conducted terrorist acts against us, yes, she is.
I draw the line at actual torture. Again, I don’t consider loud music, sleep deprivation etc. torture. Sexual assault/rape is unacceptable. Serious question, iiandyiiii - why do you think the interrogators used loud music, sleep deprivation etc., instead of just pulling nails with pliers? Do you have an explanation?
No, I meant “torture” in the context being discussed. Loud music, sleep deprivation, forced standing, other physical and psychological pressure methods that do not reach the “real torture” levels.
How?
Because I think they wanted tactics that could be argued were not torture. I don’t think those arguments hold water, when the sleep deprivation (for example) lasts for a week or more, but I think they wanted to be able to pretend they weren’t actually torturing them.
But not with the butt-stuff. No idea why they chose that one.