Senior U.S. Interrogator: Torture Talk Puts Troops at Risk - Polidicks

[quote]A top United States interrogator in Afghanistan says that torture played no role in locating Osama bin Laden, and that claims to the contrary by former Bush administration officials recently amount t0 “propaganda [that] degrades our intelligence operations more than any other factor I can think of.” Such talk also creates blowback — unintended consequences — that can be deadly, he added in an interview. “Simply the idea of our interrogators using torture or coercion recruits jihadists, facilitators, suppliers, supporters, and even suicide bombers, against us and our allies,” he said. The man, who can’t be named for security reasons, has nearly two decades of experience as a military interrogator and Human Intelligence (HUMINT) specialist. He interrogated suspected high-value targets at Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan, where he is currently stationed. “Listen,” he said, “waterboarding and/or other coercive techniques did nothing to contribute to our attempts to track down UBL (Usama bin Laden). What did succeed was weeks, months and years of diligent, laborious, and dedicated work – all within the bounds of legal and ethical boundaries….No torture, no waterboarding, no coercion – nothing inhumane – is considered a useful tool in our work.” On the subject of blowback, he continued: I cannot even count the amount of times that I personally have come face to face with detainees, who told me they were primarily motivated to do what they did, because of hearing that we committed torture. Even the rumor of torture is enough to convince an army of uneducated and illiterate, yet religiously motivated young boys to strap bombs to their chests and blow themselves up while killing whoever happens to be around – police, soldiers, civilians, women, or children. Torture committed by Americans in the past continues to kill Americans today. The recent talk justifying waterboarding and other “enhanced interrogation techniques,” he added, can leave an indelible mark on intelligence personnel who are just entering the profession. “If right-wing news outlets and partisan pundits or politicians are allowed to continue to spread their completely bogus claims that torture is effective,” he said, “then we will have corrupted the beliefs of yet another generation of new intelligence recruits….It takes months and years of ‘intervention’ to get the next generation back on the track of quality work, specialization, and intelligence dominance – not quick and easy fixes. This is not an hour-long TV show.”[/quote] [url]http://blogs.forbes.com/oshadavidson/2011/05/05/senior-u-s-interrogator-torture-talk-puts-troops-lives-at-risk/[/url] Might be a repeat but I never saw a topic for it. This obviously comes at no surprise, but some people still think that torture actually works, for whatever reason. Maybe this would work better than a moral argument :gbsmith:

Glad to see the professionals still recognize the fact that torture has the opposite of the desired effect.

So is torture still used or do they not use it anymore?

[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;29799776]So is torture still used or do they not use it anymore?[/QUOTE] Seeing as how waterboarding is torture, yes, yes they do.

You know, I always had an idea for torture... You tie a guy up, and make him eat 20 vigaras, Then put a very sexy woman in front of him dancing and stripping. In front of his boner there's a button, which if it touches it blows his dick off. So he has to tell what ever he needs to tell before his dick gets blown off. Maybe it's better for the next SAW

[QUOTE=DesolateGrun;29800190]You know, I always had an idea for torture... You tie a guy up, and make him eat 20 vigaras, Then put a very sexy woman in front of him dancing and stripping. In front of his boner there's a button, which if it touches it blows his dick off. So he has to tell what ever he needs to tell before his dick gets blown off. Maybe it's better for the next SAW[/QUOTE] I always thought that we should lock them in a room and force them to watch Sex and the City, but then would we really be any better than the terrorists?

[QUOTE=Mingebox;29800250]I always thought that we should luck them in a room and force them to watch Sex and the City, but then would we really be any better than the terrorists?[/QUOTE] God, you make me fucking sick. [editline]13th May 2011[/editline] Don't you realise the use of Sex and the City for interrogation purposes is banned under the Geneva conventions?

[QUOTE=Xen Tricks;29799787]Seeing as how waterboarding is torture, yes, yes they do.[/QUOTE] We don't waterboard anymore.

The whole prison system of the U.S is still a downright violation of human rights.

[QUOTE=UnknownDude;29800742]The whole prison system of the U.S is still a downright violation of human rights.[/QUOTE] This has nothing to do with the prison system?

[QUOTE=jaredop;29801974]This has nothing to do with the prison system?[/QUOTE] I think his point is that they're talking about violating human rights having the opposite effect in our foreign conflicts, but we're not really doing anything to solve the fact that we've got the same issue in our prison systems.

No we don't. We don't torture prisoners. If they don't talk, they just get locked back up. If they do, they get a chance at a lighter punishment.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;29802632]No we don't. We don't torture prisoners. If they don't talk, they just get locked back up. If they do, they get a chance at a lighter punishment.[/QUOTE] are you serious

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;29802632]No we don't. We don't torture prisoners. If they don't talk, they just get locked back up. If they do, they get a chance at a lighter punishment.[/QUOTE] The whole American justice system is pure torture, with the jury system and all. The only thing being done in court is trying to rip someone to pieces, to convince the jury of how bad someone is, everyone is harassed, talked down on and humiliated when questioned in court, that is torture. Atleast that's what the tv tells me.

[QUOTE=mobrockers2;29804132]The whole American justice system is pure torture, with the jury system and all. The only thing being done in court is trying to rip someone to pieces, to convince the jury of how bad someone is, everyone is harassed, talked down on and humiliated when questioned in court, that is torture. Atleast that's what the tv tells me.[/QUOTE] You've never stepped into a real courtroom in your entire life and watched an actual trial, have you.

[QUOTE=Canuhearme?;29804195]You've never stepped into a real courtroom in your entire life and watched an actual trial, have you.[/QUOTE] [quote]Atleast that's what the tv tells me. [/quote] :rolleyes:

Even if torture was 100 percent responsible for our taking down of Bin Laden, that wouldn't justify it in the slightest

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;29802632]No we don't. We don't torture prisoners. If they don't talk, they just get locked back up. If they do, they get a chance at a lighter punishment.[/QUOTE] The justice system is supposed to be about rehabilitation, not revenge. How about instigating violence in prisons? How about solitary confinement for years? You're naive if you really think we just put them in a clean cell with a bible.

[QUOTE=DOG-GY;29806299]The justice system is supposed to be about rehabilitation, not revenge. How about instigating violence in prisons? How about solitary confinement for years? You're naive if you really think we just put them in a clean cell with a bible.[/QUOTE] I never said that.

[QUOTE=DOG-GY;29806299]The justice system is supposed to be about rehabilitation, not revenge. How about instigating violence in prisons? How about solitary confinement for years? You're naive if you really think we just put them in a clean cell with a bible.[/QUOTE] Holy fucking shit where did that come from.

[QUOTE=5killer;29800462]We don't waterboard anymore.[/QUOTE] Yes we do.

If this is all true then good, it is good to know that the USA will not torture people. It is also bad that certain "news" outlets condone torture or even talk about them as being any effective.

[QUOTE=Warriorx4;29807813]Holy fucking shit where did that come from.[/QUOTE] read [editline]13th May 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;29807670]I never said that.[/QUOTE] You're completely misunderstanding my point. The naive comment wasn't literal.

everyone read that thread about the man who spent 28 years in solitary confinement suddenly the whole us prison system is all terrible

[QUOTE=Mr.Dounut;29809176]everyone read that thread about the man who spent 28 years in solitary confinement suddenly the whole us prison system is all terrible[/QUOTE] or people actually pay attention to how our prison system works

[QUOTE=Mr.Dounut;29809176]everyone read that thread about the man who spent 28 years in solitary confinement suddenly the whole us prison system is all terrible[/QUOTE] He was arrested for Armed Robbery 3 times, killed 2 inmates (of on which he drug down the isles to show everyone), and killed a Security Guard by ambushing him with a knife.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;29809287]He was arrested for Armed Robbery 3 times, killed 2 inmates (of on which he drug down the isles to show everyone), and killed a Security Guard by ambushing him with a knife.[/QUOTE] Doesn't mean he doesn't have fucking human rights. You're an asshole.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;29809287]He was arrested for Armed Robbery 3 times, killed 2 inmates (of on which he drug down the isles to show everyone), and killed a Security Guard by ambushing him with a knife.[/QUOTE] thanks for the input

[QUOTE=Leaf Runner;29809379]Doesn't mean he doesn't have fucking human rights. You're an asshole.[/QUOTE] I agree, but we also need to address another human right: We're locking him/her up in a small cell without his/her consent! What kind of monsters traps a living human being against their will? I demand prisons be abolished so our natural rights can be protected at once!

[QUOTE=lolwutdude;29809493]I agree, but we also need to address another human right: We're locking him/her up in a small cell without his/her consent! What kind of monsters traps a living human being against their will? I demand prisons be abolished so our natural rights can be protected at once![/QUOTE] don't be silly