A Torture Primer

Slate (link on main page) provides a primer on torture techniques used (or allegedly used) by Americans. (link)

Click the links at the top of the page to see all the pieces. The most interesting living room conversation is on the “Taxonomy of Torture” page, where they discuss the techniques and their legality.

I had a discussion with a right-wing friend recently who questioned whether the Geneva Conventions spells out what was acceptable and what wasn’t. To him, we need clear definitions, because until now, we just don’t know what’s “torture” and what isn’t. To me, this stuff has been defined for a long time.

If you’re interested, check out the actual text of the convention. (link)

One example:

“corporal punishment, imprisonment in premises without daylight and, in general, any form of torture or cruelty, are forbidden” Article 87

Do we really have to define cruelty? Luckily, it goes further to explicitly say that they “must at all times be protected, particularly against acts of violence or intimidation and against insults….” Article 13

But let’s leave Geneva aside for a second.

In 1994, the U.S. ratified the “Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.” (link)

From that convention:

“… torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind….”

I guess we have to define “severe” now, or some weasel will say, “oh water boarding isn’t severe suffering. It’s a walk in the park.”

It’s the same mindset that feels comfortable explaining that the Geneva Convention only protects POWs and Civilians. So therefore, when we want to torture someone, we’ll call him something else.

First thing they scream is “WE’RE AT WAR!” Let the president do whatever he wants! He has to protect us, because we’re at war!

The second thing they scream is that the people sitting, uncharged of any crime, in a cell in Cuba were picked up ON THE BATTLEFIELD. You know, so they’re really really really bad. (Forget about those who were picked up in their homes after paid informants turned them in.)

The third thing they scream is that these people, who we’re at war with, who were picked up on the battlefield, are not “prisoners of war” and they’re not “civilians.” Torture away.