From: Blunderov (squooker@mweb.co.za)
Date: Sun May 23 2004 - 14:44:24 MDT
Jake Sapiens
Subject: Is it necessary (was: RE: virus: The Rumsfeld wriggle.)?
I remember having this conversation in regular chat with Lucifer some time
back where we were debating the ethics of using torture. I was left with
the impression that well trained interrogators using drugs/truth serum that
subjects were more likely to spill the beans and probably feel real nice
while doing so, possibly even conveniently forgetting the conversation
later. Is my understanding of this wrong, or is it really necessary to
torture/abuse people to get what we want out of them? I was under the
impression that information obtained under duress was actually not terribly
reliable. Somebody please disabuse me of this if I am wrong.
[Blunderov] DrSebby posted an experience of his in which he was convinced
that it is entirely possible to use drugs in this way.
But questions remain. How different is this, ethically speaking, from
employing a 'date-rape' drug even if the victims remember nothing and suffer
no physical consequences?
The answer might be, I suppose, that in the case of the interrogation, it
achieves a useful purpose. But what if it doesn't? Does it then become, so
to speak, date-rape? Or is it OK to argue that it MIGHT have had a useful
purpose?
Some other interesting questions are
'How willing are you to have that same treatment meted out to you own
troops?' if the answer to this is yes, fine, then
'How would you feel if the other side was perfectly happy to have you
practice no holds barred torture THEIR troops just so long as they can
torture some of yours?
Which is why, I suppose, the Geneva Convention was invented. Talking of
which, Jonathan mentioned the other day that the Geneva Convention needed
renovations in order to be properly relevant to modern times and I think he
may be right; certainly it should make provisions for legal terrorism in
cases where the oppressed have no reasonable alternative, or where the
citizens of a country have been subjected to an illegal war of aggression.
Of course, to be fair, unrestricted torture would allowed too. (Please don't
anyone take this for snide, I am just feeling a bit bleak and bitter at the
world in general. It'll pass.)
Best Regards
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