I heard there are 70 more dead in Iraq today , why the torture ?

[blues90]

Each time which is every single day when they report the number of murders in Iraq they bring up torture .

Who is doing this and what kind of people are these that must insist on torturing people ?

I get the impression they are leaving out alot of info here .

If they are going to murder these people cannot they stop the torture , this seems to be something that is completely acceptable now . Could it be because america started this torture trend ?

[knowbody0]

1. incomprehensible to me as well

who are these people who need to drill holes in their victims before killing them?

[Kelly Rupert]

3. Such actions are not uncommon in war.

Don't believe for a minute that you're above it, either. Extensive research on the mindset of torturers (in which nobody was actually hurt, don't worry) has shown that the odds are extremely good that you would torture if it is requested of you by any authority figure, regardless of your current feelings on the matter. The fact that you are on DU actually increases the odds--you are a partisan.

[blues90]

7. I don't agree here at all

I can't say for certain because I ahve never been in that sort of situation but I highly doubt I would give into torturing anyone for any reason . What is there to gain ?

I have to say I would not phase it as being -above- it but rather a matter of it's not in me to even think of it .

[Kelly Rupert]

8. That may be. But the odds are against it, unfortunately.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment

[Kelly Rupert]

2. To answer all your questions.

1. Why the torture? Revenge.
2. Who is doing it? Largely Shi'a militias, as revenge for Sunni bombings. Sunnis get theirs in too, though, largely as revenge for Shi'a actions.
3. America did not "start" the torture trend. We merely picked up where Mr. Hussein left off, as did the Iraqi people.

[Rex]

4. I suspect they are thinking the same thing as Bush/Cheney

that torture is a reliable means to obtain 'information' about the 'enemy'.

Why not stop torture globally? Everyone knows it has nothing to do with interrogation.

[Kelly Rupert]

5. When you tie a man down

and chop his arm off with 10 hacks, from fingers to shoulder, and then slowly bore a drill through his eyes into his brain, you aren't trying to get information. You're trying to kill in a terrifying, painful way.

[Rex]

6. Yes, it is a form of terrorism.

But a lot of supposedly civilized people would give it lip service and say it was necessary to find out what the 'enemy' is doing. Like I said.

[SpiralHawk]

9. "Torture! You rang?" - Commander AWOL

"We republicons are firmly against torture, smirk, smirk, heh, heh, heh. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. SMIRK."

- Commander AWOL

smirk smirk