So how would you feel if...?

Question

...it were discovered that another country was using the exact same tactics to get info from US soldiers that the US uses on suspected (and actual) terrorists? what if that countries leaders said that what they were doing was not torture, yet refused to define what they believed to be or not to be torture?

would you be ok with this treatment of our soldiers? shouldn't (and isn't there) an international standard that all nations should uphold concerning human rights? if a nation refused to uphold and protect human rights, then how could that nation expect other countries not to treat their POW's any differently?

espress -
thanks for that info, how interesting...now were you actually going to answer the question or not?

Answer 1

Your question has brought on a nostalgia attack. I miss the days when our United States of America was a shining example to the rest of the world when it came to humane treatment of prisoners of war. One of our greatest advantages (in Europe) during WW2 was that Axis soldiers had little dread of being captured. Some units were actually eager to become American POWs. It is a disservice to our troops to make the prospect of capture by USA forces so dreadful that our enemies would rather fight to the death than risk torture at the hands of Americans.

Answer 2

It all depends on how they are classified - whether its someone protected under the Geneva Convention, or as they sometimes refer to "unlawful combatants" (And this term has been used for 60-70 years). There are guidelines that define who is protected, some are not.

If a group of Americans are running around acting like terrorists, they get what's coming. If they are soldiers acting under the directive of the government, they are protected. There's a difference. And, there have been plenty of U.S. pow's that have been treated terribly, in fact. It has happened many times in the past.

Answer 3

One of the primary reasons that the USA signed the Geneva Convention is to assure other countries and our own military that abuse of captives is unacceptable at any time. This program benefits our and other co0untry’s militaries to advise any country holding soldiers from another country to take care how they are treated, that a day of reckoning would follow hostilities.

The Bush “Administration” is so anathema to any military, especially our own, that it had never once thought about the welfare of our troops and how the administration’s abusive policies are negatively impacting our military. This is why no country should allow girly-boy military shirkers in high office.

Answer 4

I would like to think that ALL Americans would feel the same way I would feel: Horrible!

John McCain argues against torture for the simple reason that you state: That we would not like this done to us. As a long time prisoner of war he knows first hand and I fully believe him.

Besides that argument against torture, there is also the argument that it DOES NOT WORK! The prisoner just tells the torturer whatever he wants to hear.

And for a third point, we want to elevate our behavior to the level that shows the world the kind of people/culture we really are. Behaving like savages is not what we want to convey.

Answer 5

All serious studies including those done by American military experts show that people will tell you anything they think you want to hear under torture.It's not reliable

Torture is against International and US law.You are absolutely correct.If we have no respect for human rights and dignity we no longer have any credibility when talking about human rights situations around the world.

Answer 6

The torture of our POW's has been going on since WWI. The POW's under the US are treated like royalty compared to how our guys are treated.

I would suggest that you visit your local VA or VFW and have a discussion with the few that survived their ordeals as POW's elsewhere.

Answer 7

There IS a standard known as the Geneva Convention.

Terror groups do not follow the Geneva Convention.

Last time I checked, they were not soverign nations, either.

It's not the Iraqi government attacking our soliders, now, is it?

I appreciate the sentiment you've stated here, but the situation is far more complex.

Answer 8

its ok.... the boys have the maternal instincts and the blessing to organise a pantomime in abu ghraib jail.... in this new millenium....

any yet everybody mentions the word terrorist!!!!!!

do onto others what u want them to do to u...

however the armchair generals will condem such games because guantanamo did not exist?

from one extreme to the other.... this display of barbarism has gone unnoticed until someone slips a photo......

Answer 9

As Senator John McCain that question. He can tell you from personal experience what torture REALLY is.

Answer 10

Exactly. And the bush administration thinks that human rights are "quaint". Yet by treating prisoners this way, we are giving our enemies carte blanche to do the same to our soldiers. Our government has sunk our forces to the level of the terrorists. Thanks republicans.