The prisoners who these techniques would be used on are terrorists. I don’t mean to simplify human rights by labeling these prisoners as a group of subhuman boogey men who blow themselves up, fly planes into buildings, and spread hate so their fundamentalist views of the world can take root. A terrorist has a psychological profile distinct from other types of prisoners. Trained interrogators have stated that it is far more helpful to cultivate a personal relationship with a prisoner so that they begin to trust the captors and will eventually divulge information. An arrested criminal usually is a person who does something wrong for personal gain or has gotten into a situation beyond his or her control. Crimes committed in the heat of the moment can cause guilt. The primary concern for criminals is generally themselves, leading them to willingly give information in exchange for absolution or reduced consequences. A prisoner of war is usually a young individual drafted into service or pursuing a career in the military. Despite a POW’s nationalism, more than likely his or her greatest concern is self-preservation and survival, rendering him or her more likely to cooperate. Terrorists are different in that the majority of them are believers in a cause larger than themselves. To develop a relationship with a terrorist would take much longer than with other prisoners. A religious zealot is especially difficult to convert. In the case of impending attacks, time may be of the essence.
I’m not trying to cling to any false illusions nor am I trying to sidestep human rights. The interrogation methods in question are not pleasant by any measure. They are meant to cause fear, mental and physical exhaustion, and anguish. If a believer’s will is to be broken, he must be uncomfortable, exhausted, and forced to question his devotion. I know that if I were captured by a foreign government demanding information from me, I would not be persuaded to divulge anything because my captors are morally righteous in their own eyes. I might not be as tight-lipped if I was afraid I’d be waterboarded, kept in the cold, or deprived of sleep for hours on end. The good cop might be a nicer character, but without the bad cop he’s powerless. Moral authority can make a nation “respected” by other governments. If a non-governmental organization or social movement has used a nation as a scapegoat for all problems in the world, and dedicated itself to said nation’s destruction, moral authority means nothing. Niccolo Machiavelli put it best, in The Prince, when he posed the question of which was better when governing, cruelty or mercy? “The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved.”
President Obama’s Statement on Release of OLC Memos
- the official White House press release where President Obama discusses the release of the memos describing the harsher interrogation techniques.
The Released Documents
- the actual documents in question.
Fox News Interviews Former VP Cheney
- Former Vice President Dick Cheney has become highly critical of the actions taken by the Obama administration. This is an interview with Neil Cavuto of Fox News where he discusses the controversies surrounding Obama’s decision.
Admiral Dennis C. Blair on Effectiveness of Interrogation Techniques
- New York Times article about harsh interrogation techniques and what they may have done to combat terrorism.
Redefining US Torture Policy
- article from CafeSentido.com discussing the details surrounding the release of the documents and the implications of the Bush administration’s attempt to redefine the country’s torture policy.
Thoughts about Mr. Booth’s views on waterboarding? Agree? Disagree? E-mail us at comments@vigilantmonkey.com if you’d like to respond in our forum.
Originally posted on the VM Blog.
Alexander Booth is a 24-year-old graduate of St. John’s University currently living in Long Island. His educational background is in legal studies and creative writing, and he can be contacted at Zanderb13@gmail.com.
Disclaimer: The views in Op-Ed/Editorial pieces are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Vigilant Monkey or its editors.