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Torture - The Art Of Forced Information Extraction - Page 4

We were discussing the witchtrials in my Western Civ. class, and the topic of torture came up. My professor made a really valuable point about the usage of torture, especially with serious matters such as these.

If a person is put under enough torture, they are likely to confess to just about anything to end the harsh treatment. That's one reason that Cotton Mather and his father spoke out against it, other than to save their own bottoms. There are other ways of getting information, and they aren't necessarily by forcing a person into giving into somebody via pain or any other form of torture. People don't like pain, and that was the ideal reason and motivation for the usage of torture.

I know me personally, depending on the reasoning of why I would be in a situation of torture, unless it's standing up for my God or risking the life of a loved one, I would probably give in to torture because I have such a low tolerance of pain. Whether I had necessarily done something or not, that would possibly be how I would react. Of course it's hard to pinpoint something like that without actually being in that situation.

Extraction Information Forced Art - Torture

Now, I haven't been talking about torture for a confession. I have only spoken about torture to get specific information that a person is known to have. The example I gave was when a kidnapper is in hand, and refuses to disclose the location of the victim.

Another example comes from Iraq, where an officer had a known terrorist in his hands. The terrorist knew where his compatriots were, and that they were planning an ambush on US forces. The officer convinced the terrorist that he would be shot. The officer shot his pistol into a clearing barrel, then held it beside the terrorists head.

The terrorist collapsed, gave the information, and this saved a platoon from an ambush.

BTW, the terrorist was not shot, nor was there any other torture methods applied. It was a threat of violence that did it that time.

You are right. The Inquisition showed very well that people will confess to anything under torture. That is why it is useless in solving crimes.

Torture - The Art Of Forced Information Extraction History & Civil Business Politics

It is my understanding the sleep deprivation can, in fact, be a means of torture. I could be wrong. However, I believe a person who has been deprived of sleep for extremely long periods does suffer a great deal. I think this was used against US POW's in VietNam.

Page 4 Extraction Information Forced Art - Torture

Its officially a yea. The government can legally torture anyone as long as they are A. Suspected of terrorism or domestic terrorism as defined by the patriot act B. They don't die from it C. They don't have a limb amputated. Wonderful, the president can now interpret the geneva convention, authorize torture, and define torture. I'm sure all future Ivan the Terrible presidents are happy to hear that. Does our government serious just not think past themselves when they vote? Do they realize that any US citizen that is suspected of committing a felony is by definition (Patriot Act 13b) suspected of domestic terrorism and can now be tortured as well? The republicans have allowed this president to set us up for a horrible future. I hope this president lives long enough to see what the results of this type of law will be on us in the future!

Extraction Information Forced Art - Torture

'I'd bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding' - Trump at debates:

The Republican debates have wrapped up in New Hampshire, with some formidable bickering, topped by poll leader Donald Trump's comment that he would "Bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding." Ref. Source 9c.

Torture - The Art Of Forced Information Extraction

Torture always looks like the right thing to do when lives are at stake but the problem is where to draw a line. What is more… supposed the tortured person really doesn't know what we are asking then we are essentially torturing for no reason.

Torture - Art Forced Information Extraction - Page 4

Okay, when I went to SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) school back in the day some of the training covered this. There are multiple types of torture and multiple reason for doing it. I'll cover a few. First, there is the torture just to break one's will. That is akin to what happened to our PWs during Vietnam. They were tortured to do things for a show for (Then) North Vietnam for political points. This tends to be brutally physical abuse. When trying to extract information it's more subtle. There are still physical aspects, but there is also sleep deprivation, sleep cycle interference, and sophisticated interrogation techniques. This way is supposed to get the subject to provide information rather than just say anything to make it stop.

Torture - Art Forced Information Extraction Politics Business Civil & History - Page 4

I believe that no matter the type of torture used it is wrong. You can get some information out of said victim but most of the time it is unreliable. Even the softer sides of torture where you gleen information a little at a time as you slowly break a person down can not always get you the information you want if the person has a strong will. I know it has proven to work in some cases but other cases it has not. I would prefer to get the correct information by some other means. What that means is I could not tell you.