What were you saying about waterboarding?

Waterboarding is great treatment compared to the people who are now missing fingers.

People undergoing waterboarding have the sensation of drowning, but in fact cannot drown. Since there is no permanent damage (other than having scared the beJesus out of him... or should I say, scared the beAllah out of him), he does not have to go through life with some nagging disability. Unlike the third world cultures, we did not yank his shoulders out of their sockets, beat his feet with until they are flat, cut off fingers, or senselessly inflict pain.

Waterboarding is great because the subject does not have to be worried about reprisals from his people for having divulged information. People subjected to waterboarding WILL talk. They say even the toughest guy won't last 30 seconds. It is truly a frightening sensation to feel like you are drowning.

Afterwards, they are very compliant.

Since everyone quickly accedes, the terrorist does not have to be worried that his people will kill him for having given up vital information. They know full well that resistance is futile. Hence, it is really a kindness to the terrorist. He can speak with a clear conscience and not worry about future consequences back home. He leaves the interrogation a man with no physical damage and no prospect of reprisals from his comrades.

Sounds like a great deal to me.

Last word on this: a lot of people claim that torture encourages people to just say anything to stop the torture. However, when intelligent methods of extracting information are used, the information given can be quickly compared with what other terrorists have said. If the suspect starts giving false information, the threat of undergoing another session of waterboarding is so psychologically terrifying that the suspect may burst into tears, lose all inhibitions, and start "singing like a bird". He will tell the interrogators what they want to know.

And the best part is, he is not worse off afterwards, and many lives can be saved.

You can't justify bad behavior by pointing at other bad behavior. Americans should rise above and beyond the evil tactics that terrorists use.

John McCain believes waterboarding is torture. It CAN kill people, and it can also cause brain damage. I think there are other methods of "persuasion" that are as effective, but not quite as awful, as this waterboarding.

EDIT: Of course, you mis-represent my (and many other people's) opinion. I didn't say that waterboarding was equivalent to cutting someone's head off. I said that waterboarding is a form of torture. It's basically a type of mock execution, which the US has agreed (by signing treaties) to not perform. Now, either you want to honor those treaties or you don't.

Let's also imagine if you were waterboarded. Don't you think you would be willing to say ANYTHING to make it stop? That's another criticism of the technique. How do you know the info you're getting is reliable? I'd admit to French-kissing Saddam Hussein if I was being waterboarded.

You might also find it interesting to know that in 1947 the US imprisoned a Japanese soldier for 15 years for committing a war crime. What was that crime? He waterboarded a US citizen.

I agree with you, but you might as well save yourself the 5 points you lost in posting this question. The people who feel waterboarding is torture are simply NOT going to change their minds. Their rainbows and roses little worlds simply cannot grasp the harsher realities of life.

American Authorities electrocute, bug ger , humiliate and murder Iraqis (and sometimes suspects too).

Why are you so hung up about waterboarding, its only simulated drowning , no body gets hurt and it does't compare to other US forms of torture.

You kill half million civillians and you worry about a few fingers, what about the fingers of the 200,000 dead Iraqi children murdered by US blanket bombing and those children burned alive by US chemical wapons (white phosphorous) don't you think that a few of those Iraqis might want some revenge or do you just expect them to lie back and continue to take it?

I said it looks like a lot of fun to me.

what do you mean?

the thugs and murderers in iraq are just that - they aren't political in their motivation - they want money if they can get it

they are the lowest form of very low life

So this makes waterboarding OK? Waterboarding is right wing criminality. We hung Japanese officers for doing exactly this following WW 2.

But I'm sure Little Bushy loves you for helping him out. Perhaps you won't be tortured (or perhaps you will).

Thank you for reading my mind!! This is exactly what I was thinking when I heard the story. Where is Jack Bauer when you need him??

Over a million Iraqis dead so far.