So there has been some talk in the news about the CIA methods used to interrogate certain high level targets. I have to agree with President Obama on this one. We as a nation should be better than this. We should be better because it's more difficult as well. We don't take the easy way out, and we don't compromise our standing. That's it! End of story.
Sadly, I see so many things that went wrong with the whole idea here that I have to expound on them a little bit more...
First of all, torture is notoriously unreliable. I honestly can't think of any research or evidence that says torture of any kind is a reliable method for gathering intelligence and data. It's effective at humiliation and making the target hate you over the long term, but I don't think that should be the goal. Besides, isn't the United States one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world (as long as we can keep fundies off our school boards)? Don't we have many other methods to gather information, and even determine their veracity? And I'm not only talking the intelligence community, but with using much more effective psychological methods on detainees of interest. Heck, even at survival school they gave us a little exposure to a lot of different methods that are a heck of a lot more effective than just plain old beatings...
Another worrying aspect of this is that it highlights the whole idea that people will do terrible things if they are dogmatic followers. By abdicating responsibility to some higher authority, they justify doing the most atrocious things. I'm sure that former President Bush justified it by the fact that he was doing god's work. Isn't that just a bit sick? If you have an imaginary friend that takes responsibility for everything bad you do, then what makes you any different from people flying airplanes into buildings? And it's a type of mindset that is at play here (not just being a theitard). One thing that a lot of people seem to forget is that human beings really are just a type of animal. While we have a highly developed altruistic sense, there are parts of our brain that are frightening. By prostrating ourselves to former President Bush and his cronies, the United States became that which we abhor. That just made me sick. I am glad I never received any orders to work at Guantanamo, and if I had, I would probably be facing UCMJ action for disobeying orders and revealing what has finally come to light.
I don't care that people are all upset at President Obama about this. I'm 100% behind him. The people that are complaining or bitching and moaning should get some FBI attention, because they are clearly sociopathic on some level or another.
My thought for today.
Sadly, I see so many things that went wrong with the whole idea here that I have to expound on them a little bit more...
First of all, torture is notoriously unreliable. I honestly can't think of any research or evidence that says torture of any kind is a reliable method for gathering intelligence and data. It's effective at humiliation and making the target hate you over the long term, but I don't think that should be the goal. Besides, isn't the United States one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world (as long as we can keep fundies off our school boards)? Don't we have many other methods to gather information, and even determine their veracity? And I'm not only talking the intelligence community, but with using much more effective psychological methods on detainees of interest. Heck, even at survival school they gave us a little exposure to a lot of different methods that are a heck of a lot more effective than just plain old beatings...
Another worrying aspect of this is that it highlights the whole idea that people will do terrible things if they are dogmatic followers. By abdicating responsibility to some higher authority, they justify doing the most atrocious things. I'm sure that former President Bush justified it by the fact that he was doing god's work. Isn't that just a bit sick? If you have an imaginary friend that takes responsibility for everything bad you do, then what makes you any different from people flying airplanes into buildings? And it's a type of mindset that is at play here (not just being a theitard). One thing that a lot of people seem to forget is that human beings really are just a type of animal. While we have a highly developed altruistic sense, there are parts of our brain that are frightening. By prostrating ourselves to former President Bush and his cronies, the United States became that which we abhor. That just made me sick. I am glad I never received any orders to work at Guantanamo, and if I had, I would probably be facing UCMJ action for disobeying orders and revealing what has finally come to light.
I don't care that people are all upset at President Obama about this. I'm 100% behind him. The people that are complaining or bitching and moaning should get some FBI attention, because they are clearly sociopathic on some level or another.
My thought for today.
2 comments:
Excellent! Agree with you and Obama on this one without a doubt.
Thank you. I figure if we do torture, we're no better than the taliban, and I don't want to ever be on that level of sub-human behaviour.
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