http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/washington/09policy.html?_r=1&ex=1362718800&en=9e9816fe337b5e0b&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Questions to discuss:
Do you think the United States should be using waterboarding as an interrogation technique? Why or why not?
The NY Times article indicates that George Bush has consistently demonstrated his belief in the strong use of executive power by the President. Do you think the Bush presidency has gone too far in using the power of the Presidency in areas that aren't appropriate? Or is it desirable for a president to use whatever power is available to him or her to act decisively and forcefully in difficult times?
13 comments:
Bonjour, Mrs. Stotler, do you ever sleep? Waterboarding! I believe the U.S has worse methods than threats of drowning for prisoners. If we do waterboarding, then how does that make us any better than the other countries? We have to face that even the government in bloodthirsty and might just be working for the reaper himself sometimes. I think if we really wanted to get questions out of them, a gun to the head would be more threatening, or how about lining their children against the wall and put a gun to their heads? I'm sure that would make them talk, but it is cruel, either way, America is cruel. I think that everyone uses their power in areas that that power might not be intended for if given the chance. Anything to make life easier and faster. It's hard enough for a president, to rule a whole country and take advice from their advisors who probably argue about it all the time. Let's give them some slack, at least, or try to understand the pressure they must be going through. We might think we could do better than him, but if you think about it, could we really?
~H. Baker
from Anthony Bellissimo
I think a president should do what he thinks he needs to do to win a war. What about FDR sending all the American Japanese to prison camps? How about this policy - fight fire with fire. If our enemy chops off our heads can we not use treatment up to and including chopping off their heads? Just kidding. Let's take them to court and give them a lawyer and see if we can get them to talk while our citizens are kidnapped tortured and killed. How about this, let's ban waterboarding and start tickling our enemies with feathers until they talk.
As long as there are crazies out there that threaten the US, we need to have all the information possible to protect our country. I don't feel Bush is abusing the power and this was a correct decision. If it's not broken, don't fix it. And yes, there hasn't been any monumental bits of information leaked by prisoners that could have impacted our country, but what if. Who wants another terrorist attack on home soil?
So it sounds like you guys think we should be political realists instead of moral idealists when it comes to U.S. foreign policy. In other words, we should pursue what is in our national interest, rather than what is morally correct...right?
Yep. I watch 24 and Jack Bouer is my hero. - Anthony
Totally ... kinda off topic, but I watch reality tv. You gotta stab them in the back before they stab you in the back.
This is ridiculous, and is also what will happen if McCain is in office. It's about humanity before stopping terrorists. There are other ways to get info from terrorists. Go Obama.
I think it's awesome that waterboarding is legal! Here's a list of people we should torture err..waterboard now that we can. 1.Bush 2.Cheney 3.whoever the attorney general is. Then we ask them if they thought it was torture and since America doesn't torture people, the paradox that forms would rip apart time itself and destroy the universe. Problem solved.
-Clayton (humankind's last hope...and AP scholar)
There has to be a better way of making America secure than torturing those that could help us the most (because they have the most information). Cruel and unusual punishment should not be acceptable in any country and if we condemn it in other countries how can we use it in our own? It is like if we were to put democracy in the Middle East if we weren't even to have it ourselves.
-Kari
I think waterboarding is a good idea...it affects the person mentally without doing any permanant damage...the United States will get information and will be able to gain excellent knowledge...until the terroists understand that it won't hurt them so therefore the terroists won't talk.
I agree with the United States using waterboarding as an interrogation technique. We must get information, so we can prevent another terrorist attack. I certainly do not want to see another day like September 11,
2001. If the United States is better informed, it can be better prepared.
-Katie Close
I agree with Heather on this one. If there are other ways that don't fall into the torture category, why not use them? Besides, most of the time terrorists and their supporters die to do their jobs(ex. suicide bombers). So, if they personally want to die for their beliefs, I doubt a little torture is going to scare them into confession.
- Katarina
Clayton, you are hilarious, and thanks for agreeing with me Katerina!
~H.B
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