Thursday, September 07, 2006

Secret CIA Prisons: Human Rights Violations?

On September 6, 2006 President Bush admitted to the presence of secret CIA detention centers located in other countries. Since he has recently transfered 14 prisoners to Cuba, the question remains: How will the terrorists be tried? President Bush expresses his hopes and views in this article. What do you think?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

No, what do you think?
You have only presented the article -- what do you think President Bush should do? What the US should do?

don said...

Hey Elle,

I think Anonymous is right, what are your thoughts on this issue? As for me...

The article and situation is too complex for me to address. In fact, what I write will probably invite criticism, support, or even ambivalence. That's okay!!!

Anyhow, the question I need to ask is what is "torture?" How do we define torture? Yes, I know there's the UN Covention Against Torture and all that, but does a piece of paper drafted in NYC really matter when your in the middle of freaking Central Asia? A piece of paper means nothing unless it's backed up with some sort of support. Just take a look at the Judiciary. The Supreme Court essentiallys passes judgment and yet their judgment has no force unless the Executive branch is willing to accept, regardless if they like the decision.

Anyhow, I think we kinda get sidetracked believing the the main use of force is that of a physical nature (i.e. electricution, starvation, water boarding, etc). But what about the mental kind? What of the kind in which the aim of torture is to exact information be indirectly using some non-physical aspect of the person to do so. That is, misleading the suspect that their kids will die, their entire family will be annilhilated? What about that? Would that be okay? Would it be okay to you?

I mean, regardless of all the laws and principles and all that enlightenment junk, the number ONE duty of any government is the protection of its people. The failure of such a sacred duty brings about reform, or to a more extreme, revolution. And when I say protection, I don't just mean life...but also the stuff in the Declarationi, like liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...whatever all that means. I mean...that's exactly why the reason why the colonialists broke from England; they felt they weren't being "protected."

But at the same time, we also have to ask ourselves if there is some sort of human ethical conduct that we have to live by...for the sake of humanity. That without it, cooperation and mutuality just doesn't work. But what happens then if the people or groups of people you're trying to deal with are unwillng to live by or accord by the "civilized" world outline? As your article link quotes someone, "``It's important to remember these defendants are not common criminals,'' said Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. ``Rather, many are terrorists, sworn enemies of the United States.''"

These people are out to get to them, the "bad people." Why blame them? Don't they have a right to do so as well, just as much as we have a right to do so as well?

I'm sure I'm rambling here...Dr. D knows I tend to ramble in blogs. :-)

Anyhow, thoughts...???

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