Does the United States have a right to torture suspected terrorist?

[ihateiraq]

Okay, thank you for what sounds like an honest answer.

i keep it real.

 

[E5RANGER375]

I'm not taking a side in this discussion, but can you explain this statement a bit more?

If you have inherent rights given by God, not by simply being an American, why does "hajji" not have the same inherent rights, even if he is from another country? If you say, "Because he doesn't believe in God, he believes in Allah (or Muhammad, whomever)," doesn't hajji still have those rights, even if he believes that they were bestowed on him by another god?

Not looking for a fight, just want to understand exactly what you are writing.

hajji, let everyone FROM HIS OWN CREED trample his "god given rights". so if he didnt have the hootspa to secure them then thats his fault. Americas BRAVE HONORABLE Soldiers are making sure that hajji doesnt violate AMERICANS rights. We have the means and the will to protect ours and have and will continue to do so for all time. like my role models THE BEASTY BOYS said: "you gotta fight, for your right, to Paaaaaartey" !!!

 

[SavageEagle]

torture is one thing. But interrogation tactics like waterboarding and psychological techniques are just fine with me. If they are hell bent on destroying America, just take them out and be done with it. If they shoot at our troops, or get lucky and kill one, I oppose setting them in some jail cell and giving them even 1 square meal and anything more than 5 minutes of fresh air and sunshine.

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

hajji, let everyone FROM HIS OWN CREED trample his "god given rights". so if he didnt have the hootspa to secure them then thats his fault. Americas BRAVE HONORABLE Soldiers are making sure that hajji doesnt violate AMERICANS rights. We have the means and the will to protect ours and have and will continue to do so for all time. like my role models THE BEASTY BOYS said: "you gotta fight, for your right, to Paaaaaartey" !!!

I think that you are mixing up what I was asking about. I am not asking about "hajji's" rights in his own home country. I was asking that if he is caught in battle and we become responsible for him as a POW or non-combatant POW, his rights from his home country aren't relevant while in our custody, so why does he not have God given rights, even if he doesn't believe in God?

BTW, I did my time in the sandbox, afloat and ashore so I do have some first-hand knowledge.

 

[E5RANGER375]

I think that you are mixing up what I was asking about. I am not asking about "hajji's" rights in his own home country. I was asking that if he is caught in battle and we become responsible for him as a POW or non-combatant POW, his rights from his home country aren't relevant while in our custody, so why does he not have God given rights, even if he doesn't believe in God?

BTW, I did my time in the sandbox, afloat and ashore so I do have some first-hand knowledge.

In my opinion as a non-uniformed enemy combatant, he is excluded from all rights afforded by the geneva conventions. also he does not fall under the jurisdiction of U.S. Constitutional law, so I believe that it is up to a military tribunal to determine his final fate. I am for waterboarding and other extraction techniques to protect americans. After we have all of the info, i think they should be tried for war crimes with the penalty of DEATH if found guilty. again, just my opinion. and thank you for your service!

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

In my opinion as a non-uniformed enemy combatant, he is excluded from all rights afforded by the geneva conventions. also he does not fall under the jurisdiction of U.S. Constitutional law, so I believe that it is up to a military tribunal to determine his final fate. I am for waterboarding and other extraction techniques to protect americans. After we have all of the info, i think they should be tried for war crimes with the penalty of DEATH if found guilty. again, just my opinion. and thank you for your service!

I definitely agree with sending them through the military tribunal, and yes, I would also agree with the death penalty if found guilty. I do not want them anywhere near a civilian court. They chose to fight against our military, they should face our military in court after they have been detained. Or, the CIA seems to have an itchy trigger finger on the stick of their UAVs and we can come to some sort of agreement about an overflight of their house as we have done with some of their compatriots.

I have mixed feelings on waterboarding, having not yet come to a decision yet after all these years that we have used it against detainees since it is (or was, I can't remember) included in SERE.

Thank you for your service, too.

 

[rich8483]

if you buy the God given rights argument, which i do, then all suspected terrorists just like suspected criminals have all rights.

known terrorists, just like convicted felons, loose some rights. why? b/c they have been proven to violate someone elses rights (the american peoples) and that is where there rights end.

 

[Fletch]

if you buy the God given rights argument, which i do, then all suspected terrorists just like suspected criminals have all rights.

known terrorists, just like convicted felons, loose some rights. why? b/c they have been proven to violate someone elses rights (the american peoples) and that is where there rights end.

Pretty much what I've been trying to say.

 

[E5RANGER375]

Known Terrorist who have or wanna kill Americans have one right. THE RIGHT TO DIE

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

The question is all wrong. The real question is does the United States have an obligation to use all means at its disposal to protect its citizens?

Answer: Yes. Everything else is crap.

 

[Fletch]

The question is all wrong. The real question is does the United States have an obligation to use all means at its disposal to protect its citizens?

Answer: Yes. Everything else is crap.

Then it has failed, utterly and completely.

 

[jeremy]

out of rep or youd get it

its the thought that counts.

I picked him up for you Ranger...

 

[antsi]

The question is all wrong. The real question is does the United States have an obligation to use all means at its disposal to protect its citizens?

Answer: Yes. Everything else is crap.

Would that include violating the constitutional rights of US citizens?

Just asking. Because lots of people think safety is more important than freedom. Or that you can get "safe" by handing over all your powers and liberties to the government.

 

[Fletch]

Just asking. Because lots of people think safety is more important than freedom. Or that you can get "safe" by handing over all your powers and liberties to the government.

And more to the point, just because some legislator believes something promotes safety or protects, doesn't necessarily make it so. Case in point: disarming airline passengers vis-a-vis 9/11. Where is the demonstrable efficacy? Who has the responsibility to provide it?

 

[jeremy]

When one declares theirselves My Countries enemy, they have waived their rights given by whoever they believe in. God, Budda, Santa, Snoopy, whoever... Do not really care.

Correction they still have the right to die. They can keep that one, all others are null and void though...

 

[Expat]

One can't help but wonder how morally superior everyone will still feel when a bomb goes off in their neighborhood, possibly involving friends and families.

 

[Fletch]

One can't help but wonder how morally superior everyone will still feel when a bomb goes off in their neighborhood, possibly involving friends and families.

What about such a situation would change the nature of morality? I live just a short drive from Oklahoma City. I'm friends with a lot of first responders to the Murrah bombing. I've never heard any of them advocating a "kill hajji" point of view.

 

[jeremy]

What about such a situation would change the nature of morality? I live just a short drive from Oklahoma City. I'm friends with a lot of first responders to the Murrah bombing. I've never heard any of them advocating a "kill hajji" point of view.

It is not about the kill haj attitude...

It is about declaring yourself an enemy of my Country. There is treaties and regulations in place on how to handle the extraction of information of Military Detainees... Much like there are laws and regulations on how to deal with Civilian Detainees... Military Detainees have no rights. Just like Military Convicts have no rights. I will use whatever method is needed to defend my Country. If you have a problem with reality then do not become an enemy of mine...

If you want to be treated kinder and gentler stay out of the yard with the big dogs in it.

 

[kludge]

our rights come from god. if you are our enemy, your rights come from america. and they should be few.

out of rep or youd get it

Perhaps then you'll also agree with the following statments which use the same logic:

Men's rights come from God. If you are a woman, your rights come from men. And they should be few.

Catholics' rights come from God. If you are a Protestant, your rights come from Catholics. And they should be few.

White people's rights come from God. If you are black, your rights come from white people. And they should be few.

The Aryan Race's rights come from God. If you are a Jew, your rights come from the Aryan Race. And they should be few.



I would say that 99% of the atrocities perptrated by men and governments of the last two millenia are the result of this type of logic.

 

[E5RANGER375]

some will never undersatnd until you have been in a foreign country doing your job, and EVERYONE around you wants to kill you just because your American. you have to be Alert X10 or you will die. Im not bragging by any means, and i know some other on here have been there, whether it be the sandbox or vietnam, or korea, or fighting the Nazis, and I SALUTE ALL OF YOU MY BROTHERS IN ARMS! you can be giving food to women and children and the next minute your taking mortar fire because those same people you were helping are now calling in coordinates of your position. or maybe they pick up an AK or strap on a bomb and try to kill you or your friends? im sorry but war is ugly and IT IS REAL PEOPLE!!! Stop getting sucked in by the media, and being comfortable in your homes and taking for granted youve been safe so long, when there are people who if had the chance would come kill you as you sit just because you carry the title American. And dont be mistaken, they are here among us too, im sure. They are waiting for that right time. As hajji gets more desperate to cause casualties in hius own country they will bring it here, and NO amout of government can save you from a crazed suicide bomber. when it starts happening here on our soil regularly like it does in israel and other nations lets see if you sing the same tune, you keep singing, while i get my guns and go hajji hunting again!

and the guy who was talking about the Oklahoma City bombings first responder not having a "lets kill hajji" attitude. whats your point? why should they? hajji didnt blow up your building, a so called american did, that was mentally insain.