Would you Torture a Terrorist if it you could stop a bombing? (Congress, FBI)

[Northeastah]

Originally Posted by Goodnight

I wasn't saying that terrorism was dangerous, just the way in which we react at any cost, it needs to be put in persective.

if it were your family that could be saved, would you try and save them at any cost?

[Stymie13]

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

Unequivocal equivocating.

So be it. Torture is too loosely defined in modern legalities or Geneva convention. Yes to torture. Varied on application. Take it as you will.

I'm also for battlefield summary execution if it means committing resources that will endanger the mission unless the mission is to capture.

Again, take it as one will. Judging is easy, doing is hard.

[DC at the Ridge]

Originally Posted by Northeastah

if it were your family that could be saved, would you try and save them at any cost?

A hypothetical with no foundation.

[Felix C]

Originally Posted by hawkeye2009

Dying is not, however, is not the worst thing that can happen. The example above notes that the Soviets accomplished thier goals quickly by castrating one of the relatives of Hezbollah, sending the organ to the leader of Hezbollah, as well as a list of the names and addresses of his other relatives.

yes. I wrote that. Dying is easy but enduring pain is not.

They are cowards who gird themselves for that one moment when they push a button but have no stamina under the application of pain.

[DC at the Ridge]

Originally Posted by Stymie13

So be it. Torture is too loosely defined in modern legalities or Geneva convention. Yes to torture. Varied on application. Take it as you will.

I'm also for battlefield summary execution if it means committing resources that will endanger the mission unless the mission is to capture.

Again, take it as one will. Judging is easy, doing is hard.

And torturing another person should be hard. Indeed, it should be a line that humans should refuse to cross. Unequivocally.

[DC at the Ridge]

Originally Posted by Felix C

yes. I wrote that. Dying is easy but enduring pain is not.

They are cowards who gird themselves for that one moment when they push a button but have no stamina under the application of pain.

And lying is just as easy as telling the truth. And may achieve the terrorists' goals. Hmmm....

[Northeastah]

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

A hypothetical with no foundation.

I wasn't talking to you.

[DC at the Ridge]

Originally Posted by Bulldogdad

Obvious reponse from one who can't deal with the cognitive dissonance drummed up by this topic. Keep working through it though. Maybe a breakthrough will come.

I have no dissonance, cognitive or otherwise, regarding this topic.

Perhaps you do?

[Annuvin]

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

You couldn't think of them as human and torture them. Could you?

The ability to torture someone, like the ability to own someone, requires that you think of your victim as less than human.

But to do that requires that you lose some of your own humanity.

If "losing some of my humanity" means choosing to use a propane torch and a pair of pliers on some terrorist's genitals rather than let my wife, stepson, mother, sister or father suffer some horrific fate, I am willing to chance it. IMO, that wouldn't kill your humanity more than letting a loved one die in such a way when you had the power to stop it.

As for being squeamish... Let's just put it this way. I hunt, have killed and been elbow-deep in the chest cavities countless animals that were far less deserving of death than some inhuman terrorist grint. To date, I have yet to lose any sleep over it. In all honesty, I always ensure I make a clean, efficient kill shot on a game animal in order to minimize its suffering. If I can't make an ethical kill, I let the animal walk. However, I would fire upon terrorists without regard to where I hit them, as long as I knew they would eventually die from the injuries I inflicted. As such, if I haven't lost any of my humanity yet, I doubt very much I would lose any from torturing a terrorist. YMMV.

That being said, I'm not going to ridicule you if you are squeamish when it comes to killing. I just gave you the reasons why most people buy their meat from their supermarket rather than shooting it themselves. It comes down to willpower, fortitude and not being afraid of a little wetwork.

[STWR]

I don't think torture is effective, so no.

But I'm not opposed to taking extreme measures to prevent terrorist attacks.