If waterboarding is legal to use on terrorists will it be legal to use on US criminals/suspects?

Question

Like could it be used on criminals like Martha Stewart or Michael Vick or O.J. to gain confessions from them?

I mean if it's a US law how could not be used on US criminals?

Answer 1

Neither Martha Stewart, Michael Vick or OJ was withholding information that could save the lives of Americans.....so no.

Answer 2

The question shows a depth of ignorance that is a sad commentary on the "thinking" of the average American Democratic party voter.

In the US Criminal Justice system, accused criminals are protected from coercive interrogation.

Under the Geneva Conventions, LEGAL enemy combatants are protected from any interrogation. But enemy combatants are not, nor have they ever been, subject to the US Criminal Justice system.

But the people who received the waterboarding are illegal enemy combatants, and are neither subject to the US Criminal Justice system NOR can they rightfully claim the protections that the Geneva conventions extend ONLY to legal combatants.

Thus, they are subject to aggressive interrogation techniques, including waterboarding, stress positions, sleep deprivation, temperature extremes, humiliation, etc. Whether these techniques meet the definition of torture - "severe pain or suffering, mental or physical" - is open to debate.

But it is not logical or rational to equate the status of illegal enemy combatants captured by the military to the status of accused criminals in the US Criminal Justice system.

They are not comparable in any way.

Answer 3

I think other than O.J., the other two actually plead guilty and copped a plea-bargain, didn't they? So waterboarding wouldn't have been necessary. As for the murderer O.J., I wouldn't be opposed to ANY means in dealing with that scumbag.
Realistically, you make a valid point. In all seriousness, such methods might actually be looked at as acceptable when dealing with U.S. citizens. And then where do we go from there? It might lead down a road we don't want to travel.

Answer 4

The US has not used waterboarding in about a year, even though some believe it is legal. The US does listen to the public sometimes and learn from their mistakes.

Answer 5

Grow up....You make it sound like waterboarding is used on every terrorist in custody. It is only used in extreme cases with the worst of the worst who are known to have vital information.

Answer 6

waterboarding was illegal when it was used in WWII by the Nazis, it was illegal during the Korean conflict when the north used it, it was illegal during Vietnam when the VC used it and it is illegal when our people use it. Just as it was during the last 3 wars, when soldiers and commanders were tried for using it, so too those that have used it and authorized it in the "war on terror" should be taken to court for it.
I have to wonder if we willingly scrap the core values of this nation in the name of defending it, is it truly worthy of being defended?

Answer 7

its not legal to use on terrorists or anyone for that matter.(UN convention against torture) any argument that its not torture is stupid because Japanese and Germans were prosecuted for water boarding POWs in WW2

Call Me Bwana

the UN convention against torture covers everyone not just POWs the prisoners taken in Afghanistan and Iraq are also protected by the third Geneva convention because they were solders of a legal government at the time of capture.

Answer 8

If waterboarding is an acceptable interrogation technique then we should be able to use it on criminal suspects. If it is torture, then it is illegal and we can’t use it on anyone.

Answer 9

I wouldnt mind seeing Martha on a rack

Answer 10

Of course...it's also leagl to roll with M1's thru the streets to stop protests and snipe people who snatch purses...lol...a stupid answer for a stupid question...