Why does America need Secret Prisons?

Undertoad · 10-02-2006, 10:08 AM

I realize that FrontPage is biased, but I'd never before seen a specific example that waterboarding was effective.

I remain unconvinced that it is effective or ineffective. The notion that someone will tell you "anything" in order to stop being waterboarded, seems to me to be proof it's useful. If enough people tell you "anything" you can clearly put their various "anythings" together to figure out which anythings are true and which are not. Perhaps the orange alerts are because there weren't enough people being waterboarded. I guess we will never know.

I severely doubt that the CIA set up the means to do this sort of thing to 14-16 individuals if it doesn't work. I bet they know a lot better about whether it is effective than we do. I do not believe they would set up such an infrastructure for the simple joy of torturing bad guys.

I share the basic lack of trust of the government and the entire situation and am as appalled as anyone that this happens. On the other hand, if there was another attack in the US more effective than 9/11, this debate would be immediately over, and our resolve would be to do whatever it takes with the certain knowledge that we are the good guys.

10-02-2006, 10:08 AM	#11
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	I realize that FrontPage is biased, but I'd never before seen a specific example that waterboarding was effective. I remain unconvinced that it is effective or ineffective. The notion that someone will tell you "anything" in order to stop being waterboarded, seems to me to be proof it's useful. If enough people tell you "anything" you can clearly put their various "anythings" together to figure out which anythings are true and which are not. Perhaps the orange alerts are because there weren't enough people being waterboarded. I guess we will never know. I severely doubt that the CIA set up the means to do this sort of thing to 14-16 individuals if it doesn't work. I bet they know a lot better about whether it is effective than we do. I do not believe they would set up such an infrastructure for the simple joy of torturing bad guys. I share the basic lack of trust of the government and the entire situation and am as appalled as anyone that this happens. On the other hand, if there was another attack in the US more effective than 9/11, this debate would be immediately over, and our resolve would be to do whatever it takes with the certain knowledge that we are the good guys.

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