Waterboarding doesn't work

Discussion in 'West Mall' started by Seattle Husker, Feb 12, 2016.

  1. Seattle Husker

    Seattle Husker 10,000+ Posts

    Per this NPR article, the Director of the Federal Government team that coordinates these in interrogations says it doesn't work.

    http://www.npr.org/2016/02/12/466411509/detainee-interrogation-chief-waterboarding-doesnt-work

     
  2. UTChE96

    UTChE96 2,500+ Posts

    I don't really have strong feelings about this either way. But given that Obama is extremely anti-waterboarding I would not think the opinions of an FBI director would be completely unbiased. That said, waterboarding is enough of a political lightning rod that I would support ending its use unless there was hard evidence that it was very effective. Even in that case, I would reserve it for only extreme matters of national security.
     
  3. Horn6721

    Horn6721 10,000+ Posts

    ? Are we still waterboarding people?
     
  4. nashhorn

    nashhorn 5,000+ Posts

    Works in me.
     
  5. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    Other Govt people have claimed it did work (in the 3 cases we used (or admitted to using) it)
     
  6. texas_ex2000

    texas_ex2000 2,500+ Posts

    Seemed like it worked when we used it before.

    Analyst also are trained to do "multi-source fusion analysis." In other words, don't rely on one collection method/source.

    And that guy was hired by Obama explicitly to kill the enhanced interrogation program.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2016
  7. BevoBeef

    BevoBeef 250+ Posts

    I think this response is directly caused by the last Repub debate where particularly Trump called for increased torture in some cases. Without trying to sound like I support Trump, my interpretation was he implicitly meant detainees that would probably go to GITMO. FBI would be the organization questioning US citizens. So the wrong organization was asked; it is the head of the CIA that would be more important to respond for Obama.
     
  8. Crockett

    Crockett 5,000+ Posts

    I've heard pretty convincing evidence that the good intelligence was extracted before the waterboarding, but since it's a political football, I guess, like on climate change, who you want to vote for is who you want to believe.
     
  9. Seattle Husker

    Seattle Husker 10,000+ Posts

    Though this Director is former FBI he's now the leader of the joint interrogation team sourced from FBI, CIA, and the Pentagon. In 2009 they combined the services amounting to ~50 people to focus on interrogation of "high value targets".
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2016
  10. Horn6721

    Horn6721 10,000+ Posts

    How would this dude know ? From the article it does not seem he was ever involved in it.
    I guess it comes down to whether one wants to believe Panetta or not.
    I doubt if waterboarding will ever be used by us again no matter what Trump said in a campaign speech
    I find it amusing that NPR included questions on what this Dude and his dept doees and if it has any real value
     
  11. Sangre Naranjada

    Sangre Naranjada 10,000+ Posts

    That question should be asked of every government official and bureaucrat everywhere, every day.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  12. ShAArk92

    ShAArk92 1,000+ Posts

    I find it incredulousy incredible a viable means of interrogating a threat is dismissed because it is uncomfortable and "I wouldn't want that done to me"

    Of COURSE you wouldn't want to experience that ... THAT is the ENTIRE point.

    All this bluster about "he's trained in resistance techniques?" EVERYONE has a breaking point and depending upon the suspected intel/timing, the interrogation technique needs to be selected based upon THAT, not this weak notion of "my feelings are hurt."

    The task is to get reliable intel. Folks have been doing this for a LONG time ... they even train combatants so they'll have an idea of what to expect.

    I find as long as prisoners are being housed, fed, and do not incur major and/or permanent physical damage ... use any/all means necessary.

    we all have to breath .. even the frogmen who can stay under water for 30 minutes or whatever.

    We're all concerned about losing our humanity ... yet have no problem terminating an innocent human life before its born.

    give me a break.
     
    • Like Like x 4
  13. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    A majority of Americans currently agree with Trump on the issue of the torture of terrorists.
    Even a majority of Dems

    [​IMG]
     
    • Like Like x 1
  14. Seattle Husker

    Seattle Husker 10,000+ Posts

    There are a lot of people walking around fearing for their safety. Considering the threat of being harmed by a terrorist act pales in comparison to other everyday activities (driving, swimming, riding a bike) the terrorists are already winning.
     
  15. majorwhiteapples

    majorwhiteapples 5,000+ Posts

    What Shaark said as translated through Aquaman!!!

    We should have the Choice to Wakeboard or to not Wakeboard, don't see the issue here.....
     
  16. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts


    Back to this are we?

    [​IMG]
     
    • Like Like x 1
  17. Seattle Husker

    Seattle Husker 10,000+ Posts

    Nah...more like this:
    [​IMG]
     
  18. NJlonghorn

    NJlonghorn 2,500+ Posts

    I hope we never get to the point where we use elections to decide whether to honor basic human rights.
     

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