I had a thought this morning about "waterboarding" - Just wondering why what is described below sounds like something you would do for recreation like showboarding. I found the answer in the Wikipeda article which also says"
Waterboarding is a form of torture[1][2] that consists of immobilizing the victim on his or her back with the head inclined downwards, and then pouring water over the face and into the breathing passages. By forced suffocation and inhalation of water, the subject experiences drowning and is caused to believe they are about to die.[3] It is considered a form of torture by legal experts,[4][5] politicians, war veterans,[6][7] intelligence officials,[8] military judges,[9] and human rights organizations.[10][11] As early as the Spanish Inquisition it was used for interrogation purposes, to punish and intimidate, and to force confessions.[12]
In contrast to submerging the head face-forward in water, waterboarding precipitates a gag reflex almost immediately.[13] The technique does not inevitably cause lasting physical damage. It can cause extreme pain, dry drowning, damage to lungs, brain damage from oxygen deprivation, other physical injuries including broken bones due to struggling against restraints, lasting psychological damage or, ultimately, death.[4] Adverse physical consequences can start manifesting months after the event; psychological effects can last for years.[14]
1 comment:
It has occurred to me that there is a simple and obvious way to determine the truth of whether or not waterboarding is torture. It is a tried-and-true method that is as old as disagreements in such matters.
Since there are some politicians and military-types who insist that waterboarding is just an extremely uncomfortable (for the waterboardee) method of legal interrogation, I suggest this:
All supporters of using this interrogation technique will themselves be subjected to that technique a dozen times a day for two weeks. Dubya? Step up to the trough! Little Dicky Cheney? YOUR turn! And so on.
Peace officers who are issued tasers must learn first-hand what their application feels like. Why not the same test for waterboarders?
That's certainly a more humane method than was used for the alleged witches in Salem settlement.
Jonathan Swift would LOVE this proposal!
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