[Ric]

Originally Posted by Professor S

Well, not really. The definition of torture ( that can be prosecuted in the US) is to cause physical pain, multilation or to psychologically torture with that definition being to instill the fear of death in the efforts to gain information.

I understand that by U.S law it (waterboarding) is not classed as torture but you origionally asked wether I considered it to be torture or not and the answer was yes.

Originally Posted by Professor S

Besides that to quote 'to instill the fear of death in the efforts to gain information'

Kind of makes two of your next points contradict eachother

Originally Posted by Professor S

So why waterboarding is such a grey area is because it meets none of those criteria when you tell the detainee beforehand they will not die.

Really

Originally Posted by Professor S

I listened to a local radio sho where a DJ was brought to tears when he was waterboarded with kool aid for only a minute or so. The technique apparently plays on an inherent reaction to drowning that kicks in regardless of your knowledge.

Fear of death by drowning perhaps? Natural instinct.

Originally Posted by Professor S

Once you remove the fear of death, it ceases being torture, technically speaking because it doesn't case any pain and does not mutilate.

How, pray tell would you remove one's fear of death. I dont imagine prisoners believe their captors every word? You would not ever really know what to expect in that situation. Also if someone is not scared of dying, as in I have 'removed their fear' and then I strap a car battery to their bollocks then it is not torture because I have removed his fear of death right? Instilling fear of death is mental pain which is as bad as if not worse than physical pain.

Originally Posted by Professor S

Also, intent to torture is a part of that as well, but we'll leave that part out for the sake of this discussion.

Bearing in mind I consider waterboarding as torture lets not. If you tell someone you are about to torture them, then torture them, then you are torturing them.

I realise that I am picking apart what U.S law says here more than anything but I thought our opinions were the whole point of the thread? So you know I dont mean to seem like I am personally digging at you but you just got me started is all