I think this Sullivan post is a must-read. One thing it does well, I think, is do away with the Jack-Bauer-inspired cartoon version of torture that I think most passive supporters of "enhanced interrogation methods" have in mind: thumbscrews, beatings, etc., all taking place in the context of the proverbial "ticking time-bomb" scenario. Indeed, torture can be anything that "sustained long and relentlessly enough, can break a human being". That could mean subjecting a prisoner to freezing temperatures for long periods of time; but it could also mean something as mundane as sleep deprivation for several days in a row. Both are torture; both violate core American ethical commitments; both are illegal.
Also, I like his phrase "the pseudo-world-weary". I might have to steal that.
No comments:
Post a Comment