Why do people support terrorists "rights"?

Question

Not talking about people who think the war should be handled differently, although I think you should realize you don't have access to classified info and can't make a good decision. I want to know why we are moaning about dunking a terrorist in water when these people actively cry for your and my bloody death, when they behead civilians on camera, and when they attack civilian targets, killing women and kids, not soldiers. These people have said time and time again they hate us and will stop at nothing to kill us. And no, not talking about all muslims for god's sake! Why do the people who cry about waterboarding remain silent when the terrorists commit atrocities far worse, or worse yet, say that we need to try and "understand them"

Free Radical, I am FAR from a conservative!!!! Just because I don't think we're on the same level with terrorists doesn't make me a conservative. Except for the fact that i think the govt should not be up in folks business. Have you read any of my other questions, about global warming, about abortion... where i was accused of being a liberal Seriously, we need to stop boxing eachother into these two idiotic catagories!

Megan, there is no law that says CIA and military info must be shared with civilians and broadcast on the news. We would hardly be able to fight a war that way. Accept it: things must remain classified, and as such, we cannot make a fully informed opinion on the war or if it is being mishandled.

faka... we don't expressly select civilian targets, like, say school buses, for attacking.

Answer 1

yet another straw man -- typical

Answer 2

I think that when we suspend basic human rights the terrorists have won. While the rights may or may not be enumerated, I think we should not do anything to any person we would demand another sovereign country refrain from doing to their own citizens.

Part of the reason we invaded Iraq was because Saddam tortured and killed his own citizens. (I'm not talking collateral damage here)

While many that oppose us use barbaric methods we should always rise above that.

To put it in historical prospective: At the end of WWII many Nazis were arrested for war crimes. The other allies wanted to summarily execute the prisoners. It was the United States that insisted they be given a fair trial. These people were the monsters of WWII such as Hermann Goering. He orchestrated the torture and execution of literally millions off people.

Answer 3

Ok, you've covered a lot of liberal stereotypes here.

First, about the war - I don't have access to classified info but any moron with half a brain can see that things are not and never have been going well over there, for anybody! It makes it worse if they have more info than I do, because they're more informed and STILL can't get it right! We weren't greeted as liberators, and it's just been downhill from there.

Second, I don't understand why people try to describe simulated drowning as a bath. It's torture, or else we wouldn't use it. We shouldn't try to downplay what it really is. I will say that it's better than pulling out someone's fingernails, but I'm sure it's still pretty distressing.

Third, we also attack civilian targets and kill women and children. No one is innocent in that regard.

Fourth, yes, a relatively small sect of fundamentalist Muslims have made threats and carried out horrible acts that most of the world condemns. If you catch one of these people, and they know where a bomb is that's about to go off, I say waterboard him or whatever to get the info and save thousands of lives. But that's not what's happening. People are being pulled off of planes coming back from visiting their families, being tortured for 2 years then finally released when the gov't figures out they have no connections to terrorism. That's what I disagree with. If you KNOW someone has crucial information, I still don't like torture but it's almost justified to save lives. But I STRONGLY disagree with torturing people just to find out if they have connections or not. If you don't already know it, keep them out of Guantanamo.

Lastly, as far as "understanding them:" what people are referring to is the general lack of knowledge of other cultures in America. Only 15% of Americans have a passport. It's obvious from all of the ignorant slander about Muslims being passed around, that most Americans don't have a clue and don't want a clue. Islam IS a religion of peace. People need to get educated to stop assuming the worst and being afraid of anyone in a hejab. Fear is bred of ignorance. Racism is bred of ignorance. Bush exploited our fears after 9-11, and we're seeing a backlash from that.

I don't need to understand a terrorist. But I want to understand other cultures, and the way our country relates to the rest of the world. Once you begin to understand that, it's easier to understand the processes that produce these extremist groups, and attack it at the root of the problem. It's obviously not working to just attack small sects that are running and hiding.

Answer 4

because their party isn't in the white house....that is.....no more to it

this country has a bad habit of screaming shenanigans when the opposition does anything and at the same time offering "context" when their party does something similar in some cases identical,

case in point....intelligence is brought to bush, he asks if its solid the quote was its a slam dunk Mr President, we go to war and don't find anything, libs scream illegal war and call for his head on a platter, cons explain away

fast forward about 2 years...

Dan rather is handed documents by an aid saying bush falsified records regarding his air national guard service, the aid assures him that its solid, we find out it wasn't
cons demand Dan Rather's head on a platter, libs try and convince us how not only was it an honest mistake it still might be true

the point is that no matter what one party does the other side is going to attack and condemn

Answer 5

It isn't about WHO we do it to. It's about the fact that we ARE doing it. America has always been the good of the world, and now that we have lowered to that of the Japanese Empire of WWII damages our credibility and reputation in the world. That should matter a hell of a lot to you. I know it does to me. It doesn't matter if they are terrorists or not, if we are doing it, it should be stopped. We've always been against torture of any kind, and it looks a little hypocritical if we do it. Plus, other countries will say, "So if America can do it, we should be able to do it as well."

Answer 6

that is not the issue. the issue is, they aren't terrorists unless proved so in a legitimate court of law; you and other cons seem to think that an accusation is enough to take that label.

in the US, courts, not police officers, soldiers, or CIA operatives, decided a persons innocence and guilt.

once found guilty, you can execute them or (if the evidence suggest they have intel/info that is critical to ongoing investigations) then water board them all you like. but a trial should not be a mere rubber stamp formality.

Answer 7

Because we are the United States of America...... the country that attempts to lead the world by taking the high road....... I myself have never remained silent when terrorist attacks kill innocents....... But believe that this country has no moral standing to condmen the acts of others in the world if we dont even follow the norms of civilized society ourselves.

Answer 8

Is that how you want our troops to be treated? This is America, wer'e supposed to be (and used to be ) setting the example by complying with the Geneva Convention. To engage otherwise puts us on the same level as the terrorists. You don't have access to information either, the information that your president is hiding from you, in spite of the law.

Answer 9

I suppose most of our own people are so indoctrinated to hate their home nation from the school system that it is just to be expected. We will be the shortest lived world power in history. in less than 300 years we will destroy our selves from the inside out.

Answer 10

Waterboarding is tortue and it is illegal. There are no doubts about it. This is not a gray area issue.

We have lost a lot of credibility overseas. We are in a precarious situation to be sure. Our word used to mean something, it's losing its strength.

These may be bad men but they should not be tortured. America is supposed to have the upperhand on morality.

Answer 11

The ONLY right a terrorist has is to stand in the way of one of my many many bullets and get killed by it (IMHO).