The War's Lost Weekend

On Mon, 10 May 2004 22:04:10 +0200, "Emmanuel Gustin"
wrote:

Torture is a criminal act prohibited under the Geneva conventions;
and intentionally inflicting physical or mental suffering to make
people more "cooperative" is torture.

If we follow this definition, Emmanuel, then the word "torture" is
meaningless. You would call any sort of discipline torture.

I understand torture to mean physical violence that leaves you
screaming and probably damaged for life. John McCain understands
torture.

Wearing a hood is not torture. Standing for 12 hours is not torture.
Sleep deprivation is not torture (my daughter is a blue-water sailor;
she trains herself to do without sleep, as a career necessity).

Humiliation is not torture, either, though I certainly think that PFC
Englewood (whatever her name) would be found guilty of some lesser
included offense under the UCMJ for her party trick with the leash. If
she were an officer, then it would be "conduct unbecoming." I don't
remember from my days covering courts martial, but I'm sure there's an
equivalent catch-all for enlisted troops.

We've pretty much destroyed any meaning the word "genocide" or "rape"
once had. Let's not toss "torture" into the PC dustbin also.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

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