TORTURE: The Question They Don't Ask

[blogslut]

I've watched a few of these supposed "hearings". Everyone has seen Gonzo, Rummy and the rest explain and reason away rendition, torture and other prisoner atrocities. We've read their memos. We've watched them testify before our supposed legislators.

In all of that comment, opinion, testimony and explanation, I've never heard anyone ask them WHY they do it. I've heard plenty of talk about WHY they think torture is justified. Yet, I can't recall one Senator or Congressman ask them WHY.

Why do you do this? What benefit is there to this treament? Can you prove that this treatment of prisoners helps the war effort? Where is this proof?

[knowbody0]

1. sadists. only sadists would fight for their right to torture

[Common Sense Party]

2. Can you please explain what "rendition" is? nt

[Kailassa]

3. Well, I know about rendering fat to purify it,

so I guess rendition is part of the process of turning prisoners
into soap.

Well, I wouldn't put anything past the bastards these days ...

[annabanana]

4. in this context, it can only be a

particularly painful removal.....

I wonder who came up with this phrase?

[mogster]

5. Good observation

It was general knowledge during the last decades leading up to the millennium that torture does not produce accurate intel.

So why the torture?
Three solutions:

1. They are fundies. Fundies does not always believe the common knowledge has credibility. Empirical research has not necessary a prominent place in their reasoning.

2. They want the torture to create fear. One of the cornerstones of fascism is fear and bewilderment. So torture is used for torture's own sake.

3. They want to radicalize muslims, to make the war worse, and possibly create a muslim revolt in Europe.

It could be a combination of these, and the two last are in reality the same.

[blogslut]

6. Yes, those could be their true motives

But I don't understand why they haven't been confronted on the WHY?

Why did they feel the need to change the way America interrogates captives? Whose idea was it to change the rules? Who suggested rendition -taking a captive to another country where torture is allowed? Which person(s) decided to hold captives without a trial indefinitely? Who suggested that we reinterpret the Geneva conventions?

More importantly, when was this decision made? Was it before or after September 11?

[TahitiNut]

7. Reasonable doubt is foreign to the "faith-based" mind.

Certitude. Intolerance for ambiguity. Absence of critical thinking skills. "Doubt is the work of Satan."

It's sociopathic. :shrug: