Torture

Note: Be warned that this a serious post on a serious issue. Until or unless I start another blog, these posts will show up from time to time. Feel free to ignore or rage at me as you will. I'll try to keep the photo below this first screen, so keep your kids away from this.

torture:tôrchr
NOUN: 1a. Infliction of severe physical pain as a means of punishment or coercion. b. An instrument or a method for inflicting such pain. 2. Excruciating physical or mental pain; agony: the torture of waiting in suspense. 3. Something causing severe pain or anguish.
TRANSITIVE VERB: Inflected forms: tor·tured, tor·tur·ing, tor·tures
1. To subject (a person or an animal) to torture. 2. To bring great physical or mental pain upon (another). See synonyms at afflict. 3. To twist or turn abnormally; distort: torture a rule to make it fit a case.

That's the American Heritage Dictionary's definition. The dictionary's name is oddly ironic, and why I chose it.

I think that by now with the word even creeping into mainstream U.S.A. media, it should be fairly obvious that the U.S.A. tortures people it holds in detention as part of the "War on Terror". Forget the "a few bad apples" argument. If that were the case, would there need to be legislation put forward and voted on to prevent it? The Vice President of the United States is pushing hard to exempt CIA from "anti-torture" legislation recently passed by a wide margin in the house. This was after a very strong push to have the house drop this legislation before it was even voted on. This does not sound like "a few bad apples" to me. The U.S.A. is in violation of the Geneva conventions on numerous issues in multiple locations and doesn't seem to feel that this applies to the current situation.

While the U.S. administration has frequently lauded and quoted the International Red Cross and Amnesty International when they issue statements that coincide with U.S.A. policies, they now show public distain and contempt when those same organizations report on what should be considered crimes against humanity (were it any other country but the United States). As I type this there are dozens of people on hunger strike in Guantanamo Bay to protest their situation and conditions, several with tubes forcibly shoved down their throats to prevent them from starving to death. I would argue that even under adequate physical treatment, three years of detention with no hope of freedom or knowledge of how to go about obtaining it, amounts to torture in and of itself. If the "War on Terror" is to go on indefinitely, are all of these people to die in prison without so much as a trial to prove their guilt or give the chance to argue their innocence?

Is the Vice President trying to appease the military or the CIA when he promotes a CIA exemption from what amounts to anti-torture legislation? I'm guessing he's covering his own ass...and those around him. Do you realize that there are many people in many countries that seriously believe a large portion of the current U.S. administration to be guilty of crimes against humanity? How many of you reading this now thought you'd ever even be in the position to consider whether or not the U.S. had the right to torture people (to death) to prevent ...forget that...for any reason?

How many people were "interrogated vigorously" over Saddam's weapons of mass destruction? How many were interrogated over Saddam's links to Al Quaida? How many died or were permanently maimed or injured? We now know there were no weapons of mass destruction. We now know that there was no collaborative connection between Al Quaida and Iraq. We know that there is no connection between Iraq and 9-11. Think about that. How many people were tortured for information they couldn't possibly have had? We aren't talking about American soldiers being viciously tortured by the enemy here. We are talking about Americans and American-paid civilian personnel torturing people to death for information they couldn't possibly have.

Think Abu Graib times 100 in multiple locations worldwide. If you think the ones you've heard about are the only ones...think about it a little more. If something makes it to Main Stream Media with photographic evidence, it stands to reason that much worse is going on...no need to be a conspiracy theorist to figure that one out. There are now inquiries into CIA "secret" facilities for "ghost prisoners" in Eastern Europe (and elsewhere). Our closest allies are worried about secret prison transfers over their airspace. You can read about it in reputable publications. You just have to look.

If you think the rather mild version of what's available to print is hard to look at, imagine it's you...or a close family member...or you forced to have close family members watch it happening to you. These things happen. It's a matter of record.


All of this information is out there and available to anyone prepared to look for it. I am talking about articles from reputable sources and Pulitzer-winning journalists. It's a long, slow, painful ride, but more and more people are beginning to pay attention to what's happening about this issue and many others closely related to it.

I recommend the internet (U.S. and mainstream British media won't cut it) for news. Take a closer look at what's going on in the world. Start with the links on this page. They are considered very respectable news sources. I recommend you check everything from multiple sources in multiple countries by people with multiple points of view. I recommend thought, cynicism , research, common sense and sharing thoughts with others.

Check out the Link of the Day. The site is a little scetchy, but the info can be collaborated ealsewhere (for some reason, I couldn't link with the more reputable site [no offense to those at Daily Kos]).

Sounds like a lot of work really stay on top of things, to really give it thought, to talk to others about your thoughts on what's going on around you and in the world, I know. No doubt it did to the average citizen of Germany in 1939 as well.

This posting is on torture. There will be other postings on issues equally as difficult to read and think about in the context of things done in or by your own country. Write me. Requests for my sources will be met by requests for yours. Do your homework, don't put it all on me.

See if the people around you have thoughts on these issues. Some probably do. Be non-confrontational. Listen to, and respect others' opinions before putting yours out there.


Each word has an echo. So does each silence.
-Jean-Paul Sartre