Hitchens vs Smerconish on Waterboarding

[ProfessorPlum]

Run time: 07:09 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25CPsnU2dXk   Posted on YouTube: December 18, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: January 19, 2009 By DU Member: ProfessorPlum Views on DU: 350

 
Sub-human Smerconish defends his thuggish, American-exceptionalism-hypocrisy-24-Jack-Bauer-hard-on defense of waterboarding (and other torture - with no limits!) for "Al Qaeda" "in the present circumstances".

Sodden Hitchens is, for once, on the right side of the issue.

Matthews, of course, can't keep his mouth closed long enough to let his guests make a point.

[Postman]

1. The "torture" issue is cloudy....

The US shouldn't torture for at least 2 reasons, I'm sure there are many more but...

#1- If it is known the US tortures prisoners, then that leaves captured Americans at the mercy of an "enemy" that can point to US treatment of prisoners as an excuse to torture...

#2- If the US adheres to the Geneva Conventions, even if the "enemy" tortures Americans, world public opinion will always side with the US position and see the "enemy" as barbarians...

I'm sure there are more reasons but what also should be kept in mind is this...In the past while the US was adhering to the Geneva Conventions on torture, while maybe not actually engaging in the act of torture, the US was flying people to client regimes that DO torture and were participating in the crimes in that respect...


It also seems strange that Smerconish finds it okay to torture Al-Qaeda. Does he see a difference in treating prisoners from organized armies from recognized states and rag-tag fighters of non-state organizations such as Al-Qaeda?

[Xipe Totec]

3. One reason for Prisoner of War rules, is to allow an enemy to surrender

So long as our enemies know they will be tortured when captured, they will fight us to their last dying breath.

There is no incentive to surrender under the present circumstances.

By abandoning POW rules, we have eliminated surrender as an option for our enemies.

[leftchick]

2. Hitchens should know

he let himself be drowned by water boarding last year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LPubUCJv58