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#1 | |||||||
"Dutch"
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Tampa, FL
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Obama to Ban Waterboarding -- Sort of...?
President Bush has received endless criticism for allowing the waterboarding of Khalid Sheik Mohammed, one of the key masterminds behind 9/11. But I found this article fascinating.
Sources: Obama ready to end harsh interrogations - Yahoo! News Quote:
Later in the article is says... Quote:
But the Associated Press reports today that president-elect Obama is going to ban the use of waterboarding by the CIA. Confusing? Well, the difference is that instead of this being banned at the lowly CIA level, it will be an executive order for the CIA to follow U.S. Army guidelines. Quote:
Well, sort of an executive order... Quote:
But what if we need to interrogate another Khalid Sheik Mohammed? And when I say "interrogate", I actually mean, "Get information by any means neccessary to save lives". Well, in that case, there will be a new "secret loophole" to still allow waterboarding in certain situations. Which situations? That will be classified. What will be allowed? That will be classified. Quote:
So, basically, in a nutshell. Nothing will change except the alledgedly "secretive Bush administration" that was rather public about waterboarding will be changed for the alledgedly "open Obama administration" that will be rather secretive about waterboarding. But it is nice to see the AP reporting this as "good news". |
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#2 | |||
Death Herald
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas
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You left out some key passages.
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That would seem to undermine your entire "sort of" claim. Quote:
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Sounds like this is far from a set in stone policy as well.
__________________
Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint |
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#3 | |||
"Dutch"
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Tampa, FL
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Quote:
vs... Quote:
Senate Democrats approving this is unlikely? So.... Quote:
Looks like he's prepared to circumvent the Senate if neccessary. |
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#4 | |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Bill Clinton put it best a few months ago when he said that to legislate the use of torture as an official interrogation technique cannot happen. It needs to be the call of the interrogator, and that whoever it is better feel that what they do is entirely necessary. He even citited Jack Bauer.
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Last edited by M GO BLUE!!! : 01-17-2009 at 05:56 AM. |
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#5 |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Fresno, CA
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I think that Cartman is right, in that this is far from determined. While Dutch's point does make me smile, all I see are tough choices for Obama on this one. If you essentially make interrogation ineffective, then when you REALLY need something, you are faced with breaking the law. If you leave the door open for extraordinary techniques, then your critics will say you are condoning torture.
I heard a radio interview on NPR that said that IF Obama declares the army manual to be the rule of law, then he will essentially be hoping that exigent circumstances do not arise. I don't think I like that option. I think I'm starting to favor the "ban all torture, but leave a super secret loophole" option that Dutch mentioned. This will be interesting to see where Obama stands on some issues that the Bush administration was criticised for. In my book...interrogation policy, the wiretapping policy, and the actions he takes in Iraq will be pretty telling with respect to how much "change" we will be seeing. |
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#6 | |
Hockey Boy
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Royal Oak, MI
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Quote:
So it begins... And before the man's even been inaugurated. Keep fighting the good fight, Dutch! Let's hope we have 8 more years of this!
__________________
Steve Yzerman: 1,755 points in 1,514 regular season games. 185 points in 196 postseason games. A First-Team All-Star, Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Selke Trophy winner, Masterton Trophy winner, member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Olympic gold medallist, and a three-time Stanley Cup Champion. Longest serving captain of one team in the history of the NHL (19 seasons). |
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#7 |
College Starter
Join Date: Dec 2002
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I agree with Clinton: Jack Bauer should decide if and when we use torture. If possible, Chuck Norris could carry part of the load as well.
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#8 | |
Death Herald
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas
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Here's where the incoming AG seems to stand on the issue.
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__________________
Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint |
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#9 |
College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Flower Mound, TX
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#10 |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Fresno, CA
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I wish the Jack Bauer option had been available when I posted in this thread.
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#11 | |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Decatur, GA
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Quote:
It seems that's the way its going to be. Ban all torture, but if definitely needed, the interrogator can do it. It won't be official policy, but that doesn't mean it won't ever happen in a "ticking time bomb" scenario.
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"A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages" -Tennessee Williams |
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#12 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Chicagoland
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I don't see the problem with banning it and, should a "ticking time bomb" scenario arise and other methods don't work (and experienced agents and interrogators have said again and again that this particular set of circumstances happens very, very rarely), you still have the option to give the interrogator a presidential pardon.
The key problem is that 24 (and everyone who cites it) vastly overstates the likelihood of "ticking time bomb" scenarios where other methods, or other intelligence, don't work or aren't available. I've posted, in previous threads, the statements of seasoned intelligence officials who have said this. |
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#13 |
Head Coach
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Colorado
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#14 | |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Fresno, CA
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Based on the research I've conducted on the statements of seasoned intelligence officials portrayed on 24, This kind of thing can happen as often as 4 times in a 24 hour period. |
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#15 |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Isn't waterboarding that half-surfboard thing that you rent that is tethered to your arm?
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#16 |
College Prospect
Join Date: Oct 2001
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No torture, no exceptions. If you take away the toys of torture and one of these magical scenarios comes up, then the interrogator mans up and says "I'm willing to go to jail to get the information". State sanctioned torture of any kind always ends up as a slippery slope where it gets applied in situations we all know it is not necessary for.
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#17 | |
Coordinator
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Chicagoland
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Quote:
Agents from every intelligence branch, including interrogators, are on the record over the past 8 years (or so) with these statements. I've posted these statements in previous threads we've had on this topic. These statements I've linked have been from published sources, such as newspapers and newsmagazines (and their websites). |
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#18 | |
Head Coach
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Colorado
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Then I would suggest reading about top secret intelligence operations from during and soon after WW2 that appear in published sources, such as newspapers and magazines. |
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#19 | |
Coordinator
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Chicagoland
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And this is more relevant than accounts from interrogators and agents working during the timeframe of the past 8 years why? Look, I have my opinion, and I base my opinion on the statements given about torture by intelligence practitioners over the past 8 years or so. You or anyone else can disagree but I will continue to contend that the use of torture in a 24-style situation simply doesn't reflect reality and the use of torture in Jack Bauer-style methods simply isn't as effective in the real world, if it is at all, really. But we've been through all of this before, in multiple threads, so I'm not interested in re-hashing the debate by digging up sources again. I've spent enough time doing that already. So you, or anyone else, is free to disagree, but that's my position, and I feel my position is well-supported. |
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#20 |
Head Coach
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Colorado
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The only point is that statements made by individuals or agencies in the know in published sources may or may not be accurate, for a reason. Usually we have to wait 25 years for certain information to be de-classified to find more of the truth. History has shown us that, not only WW2 and the Cold War, but even going back to Civil War and Washington's intelligence operations during the Revolutionary War.
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#21 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Chicagoland
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Well, maybe you're right and in 25 years we'll find out that waterboarding KSM got us actionable intelligence that stopped another 3 9/11s. I doubt it, though.
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#22 | |
"Dutch"
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Tampa, FL
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Quote:
You are right, who knows? I'm certainly no expert either. But the point of this thread is that Obama thinks it could be of some value, that it's use should never grace the front page of the New York Times (when and if it happens), and the AP mis-represented Obama's position. Last edited by Dutch : 01-19-2009 at 08:43 AM. |
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#23 |
Bounty Hunter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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I think so. So why are people trying to ban it? Because it wasn't accurately represented in either game in the California Games series?
__________________
No, I am not Batman, and I will not repair your food processor. |
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