To Waterboard or Not To Waterboard?

It seems that former US Attorney General John Ashcroft has come out in defense of waterboarding:

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The controversial interrogation technique of waterboarding has served a “valuable” purpose and does not constitute torture, former Attorney General John Ashcroft told a House committee Thursday.

John Ashcroft says waterboarding yielded more valuable information than other interrogation techniques.

Testifying on the Bush administration’s interrogation rules before the House Judiciary Committee, Ashcroft defended the technique while answering a question from Rep. Howard Coble, R-North Carolina.

“Waterboarding, as we all know, is a controversial issue. Do you think it served a beneficial purpose?” the congressman asked.

“The reports that I have heard, and I have no reason to disbelieve them, indicate that they were very valuable,” Ashcroft said, adding that CIA Director George Tenet indicated the “value of the information received from the use of enhanced interrogation techniques — I don’t know whether he was saying waterboarding or not, but assume that he was for a moment — the value of that information exceeded the value of information that was received from all other sources.”

Waterboarding is a technique designed to simulate drowning.

cnn.com

Vanity Fair’s Christopher Hitchens, a supporter of the Iraqi war, recently decided to see for himself if waterboarding, a technique used to simulate drowning is in fact a form of torture.  read the article here:

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/08/hitchens200808

Waterboarding involves strapping a person to a long board, with his feet elevated above his head.  The person is gagged, and a cloth is placed in his mouth.  While he is immobile, water is poured over the blindfolded person’s face.  As the person tries to breathe, water is inhaled, simulating drowning.  The most disciplined individual usually lasts anywhere from 30 seconds to one minute.  It’s a terrifying experience that is considered the best method of extracting information from an individual.  The CIA, and the Bush Administration do not consider it a form of torture.  While waterboarding may leave no lasting physical effects, the psychological effects can be quite disturbing.

So, is this a form of torture, which US policy states is illegal, and not to be used? John Ashcroft and others say, “No.”  Those that have volunteered to undergo this technique unequivocally say, “Yes.” Quite honestly I can see the dilemma faced by the US.  These individuals are terror suspects, that possibly have information about possible future attacks.  It makes sense to use whatever technique works to get that information out of them - at least on the surface.  Notice the key words I used, “suspects”, “possibly”, and “possible.”

These individuals at Guantanimo are being held without the opportunity to actually prove their innocence.  They are not being given the benefit of a trial by jury, which is the right of anyone accused of a crime here in Canada, at least, and I believed, in the US.  Now, before flaming me and accusing me of bleeding heart liberalism, think for a moment about what it would be like for someone to knock on your door in the middle of the night, haul you away, lock you up indefinitely, all without telling you what you are charged with, and all without extending you the right to prove your innocence.  This isn’t the Argentina of the 1970’s when this was a regular occurence to it’s citizens.  This is the United States of America.

These individuals are then subjected to the most effective technique yet devised for extracting information.  However, even the CIA admits that the information extracted cannot always be relied upon as being accurate, or even true.  There are instances where individuals have confessed to things they didn’t do.

What these terrorists unleashed on 9/11 was horrific, and heinous.  However, we need to make sure that we don’t become the monster we are trying to fight.  Stripping individuals of basic rights that we have enjoyed for generations, rights which our forefathers fought 2 World Wars to ensure only means they have won. Isn’t that what American troops in Iraq, and US and Canadian Troops in Afghanistan are trying to prevent?