Would He?
by KevinSeptember 26th, 2006
Torture is wrong. It is a sign of weakness, a tool of the coward, and a marker of the evil. It is as un-American and un-Christian a proposition that I can conceive. And the Republicans are about to make it offical US policy.
Via Digby
Categories: Torture |
“And the Republicans are about to make it offical US policy.”
Why do you lie so much?
(I thought I would respond to your post. I notice you haven’t been getting much response lately. I wouldn’t want you to feel as if your blog is a bunch of garbage. Of course, you would be right if you felt that way.)
Well, at least we know our resident troll agrees that torture is wrong…..
Actually, it’s more a sign of sadism or a repressive government. Not many of the best-known torturers had very little to fear, or be weak about. Saddam had one of the strongest militaries in his area, but had no preventions from shoving people into wood chippers. The Chinese are at virtually no chance of actual risk or weaknesses, but they also likewise don’t mind cutting people they don’t like up.
It’s a damned effective technique — otherwise, there’d be no reason societal evolution left it so engrained in our psychology. Now, most societies realize that it has potential for abuse, just like jails, police, or anything else, and place strict limits on the subject… but typically those who use torture are not identified as weak or cowardly.
Of course, doing permanent physical harm is simply expensive, since you either lose the subject or end up needing significant medical expenses (and I assume there’s moral issues, though I honestly have no idea). It’s reasonable to assume both of the above aspects are less expensive when you only apply fear or discomfort (oh noes! Sleep deprivation! We’re torturing our teenagers!).
Gattsuru:
Iraq and China are two interesting examples of countries with a very specific weakness and something to fear: their restive minorities.
Both China and Iraq are multiethnic countries with minorities seeking some kind of autonomy, if not outright independence (the Tibetans, Uyghurs and many others in China as well as the Kurds in Iraq). Strong militaries are not always equipped to deal effectively with certain types of conflict, and internal ethnic strife appears to be one of them. Witness countries with strong militaries such as Russia or Spain under Franco that find/found it next to impossible to control their ethnic conflicts. These countries may make a great show of flexing their military might, parading goose-stepping troops and tanks and warheads, but are continually wary of their minorities, often outlawing language use and instruction, curtailing cultural expression, and attempting forced assimilation.
Their heavy-handed bullying only belies their weakness. Use of torture is a sign of weakness and the tool of the coward.
Hmmmm…in case I didn’t tie my post to the thread clearly…
…China and Iraq use imprisonment and torture as a means to intimidate their independence-seeking minorities (as do/did Russia and Spain under Franco).
Tim wrote: “Well, at least we know our resident troll agrees that torture is wrong…..”
He didn’t say that. ORT tends to rely on obfuscation, ad hominem abusives, and avoidance of addressing the subject of the thread in a coherent manner when he posts.
Why do trolls lie so much?