Jill StiemsmaIntroduction to Ethics

Monday, 8:30

Geneva Convention definition of Torture: “Any act by which severe pain and suffering whether physical or mental is intentionally inflicted”

US Definition: “Pain … must be equivalent in intensity to the pain accompanying serious physical injury, such as organ failure, impairment of bodily function, or even death.”

Reputable organizations (such as Human Rights Watch and the Int’l Red Cross) have reported US abuse of prisoners despite Bush Administration claims to the contrary

“Dozens of prisoners have died in US custody”

Public doesn’t seem to care (Poll: 65% of Americans approved its use against terrorist suspects)

Avoid a “ticking bomb”

Such techniques can work: Abu Zubaydah “became compliant” after just 35 seconds of waterboarding

We’re no better than the “bad guys”: We’ve trained the troops involved with rape, torture and execution

We’ve moved 230 suspects to 40 countries where interrogations include torture and threats to family members

Get false confessions

Lose public trust (at home and abroad): Germany indicted 13 American operatives believed responsible for the kidnapping and 5-month torture of one of its citizens

Justifies becoming even “sleazier,” e.g., using “sensory deprivation”

Torture of the Innocent

Video Clip

Disastrous consequences for the Constitution – and the country

Exactly how many suspects has the US squired away?

How can we acquire the hard evidence needed to adequately evaluate the problem?

Have terrorist attacks been alleviated because of our stance on torture?

Could traditional interrogation methods be just – or more – effective?

Benefits:

Quickly get desired information

Scare suspects into informing

Save untold lives Obtain information

we might not otherwise get

Costs:

Get fallacious information

Lose respect of other nations

Trample constitutional rights

Turns us into the bad guys

The right to protect ourselves from terrorist acts

Right to mistreat unscrupulous individuals who wouldn’t be the least concerned about us

The right to due process under the law

The right to expect US to honor treaty obligations

Right to humane treatment

Are we becoming “wimpy,” unable to defend ourselves in the name of being “nice”?

Protecting National Security

Humaneness: Otherwise, what’s the point of a democracy?

Protecting Personal Security: Isn’t everyone entitled to know s/he won’t be tortured/disappeared?

Support Bush Administration’s approach

Join local peace initiative

Join annual protests at Ft. Benning

Personally meet with Senators and Representative

Investigate related organizations to repeal current Torture Law

Join annual protests at Ft. Benning

Personally meet with Senators and Representative

Investigate related organizations

Get off my duff – issue is too critical to remain silent

I was especially impacted by Wolfendale’s comment: “Establishing the institutions required to sustain such well-honed practice is fraught with perils that the utilitarian would condemn, all things considered”