[Infowarrior] - Waterboarding Ignorance

[Richard Forno]

It's time for a quick political rant.

It's shameful that "America" and "torture" have become national-level policy
debates, and it's something I'm embarrassed at my country for allowing even
become an issue. I still can't believe we're actually discussing this. It's
also shameful that politicians can claim such woeful ignorance to a
'technique' that is at the center of a national controversy, and expect that
*anyone* would believe they're as clueless as they let on. One would think
if it was a DC sex scandal, they'd be falling over themselves burning up the
phones, libraries, and Intertubes to find out all they could about the
matter.

But no -- they continue to insult our intelligence.....to wit:

General says waterboarding could save U.S. lives
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/news/stories/2007/11/02/Honore_1103.html

Army General Russell Honore recently told 900 Georgia middle schoolers, "the
general public shouldn't be so quick to condemn the use of waterboarding as
an interrogation technique." He added "I don't know much about it, but I
know we're dealing with terrorists who do some very awful things to people."

State Department Legal Advisor:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2205187,00.html

"One would have to apply the facts to the law to determine whether any
technique, whatever happened, would cause severe physical pain or
suffering,"

Bush Lauds Attorney General Nominee
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/03/AR2007110300
290.html

"Mukasey has called waterboarding personally offensive, but in response to
questions from senators, he said he didn't know enough about it to legally
define it as torture."

Sen Fred Thompson on Meet The Press yesterday
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21623208/

"You¹re talking about techniques. We¹re having a big public debate now on a
technique which I know very little about. It sounds very gruesome to me."

...and so on, and on, and on.

Okay, folks -- here's a simple explanation of "torture" as defined by Rick:
"If you wouldn't want something done to you against your will because it'd
hurt you, kill you, or make you wish you were dead or unconscious, it's
probably torture as definated by any reasonable national or international
convention (if not also standard of human decency.)"

But since they're all are so blatantly ignorant to the methods involved, may
I suggest they check out these links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterboarding
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/print?id=1322866
http://current.com/pods/controversy/PD04399  (video demonstration)
... And if theyre really desparate for knowledge,
http://www.google.com/search?q=waterboarding

And if that's not enough, and if Mukasey, Honore, and any number of
politicos around town remain confused as to what waterboarding is, may I
suggest they conduct their own research and test the waters themselves.

Quit embarrassing our society and disgracing our country -- nobody's buying
your story or believing your ignorance.

-rick
Infowarrior.org