View Single Post
Old 10-02-2006, 07:22 AM   #20
Mike Grant
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 56
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: RIP Habeas Corpus, Hello Torture

There are two problems here; defining the meaning of 'terrorist' and 'torture'.

Personally, I don't have a problem with a moderate degree of physical and/or mental coercion in order to obtain information which may prevent a potential 'terrorist' attack and save lives (see Alan Dershowitz's discussion of the 'ticking time bomb' terrorist). The problem is that, in general, the greater the coercion the more likely it is that the victim will just tell you what he thinks you want to hear. We tried this in Northern Ireland, including internment without trial, with mixed results and ultimately we lost the war.

Talking of Northern Ireland, what were you guys in the states doing when we were getting bombed by Irish terrorists (sorry, 'freedom fighters') and you were letting them run free over there raising money and purchasing weapons and explosives? I guess it feels a little different when your own electorate is on the recieving end. Anyway, thanks a bunch Teddy Kennedy.

(Mind you, credit where credit's due. Not every bloke with a skin full could get a car door open under water...)

Last edited by Mike Grant : 10-02-2006 at 07:24 AM.
  Reply With Quote