Comments on: WTF

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 23 May 2005 10:48:22 +0000

And surprisingly enough, there have been no more attacks on our soil. No one has tried to take out the United States “Computer Meca” in the West. No one has tried to attack our Capital or Government Buildings in the East. But hey your probably right. There was no reason to act so harshly towards an enemy of the United States. Perhaps a simple…”Hey Man, C’mon tell us what you are planning next would.” would have been sufficient.

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 22 May 2005 21:49:44 +0000

I am saying that we are justified in times of war in doing whatever is necessary to protect America.

I could not disagree with a statement more fundamentally than I do this one, and it has nothing to do with pacifism. If â€œwhatever is necessaryâ€ is acceptable to protect the country you've already lost what you were trying to defend.

If you truly believe that these prisoners did not know the possible consequences of their actions when they picked up arms against the United States then you are fooling yourself.

Even if these prisoners were guilty of something they deserve to be treated humanely when captured. But many of these people are arrested on suspicion, not captured in combat, and held under the "enemy combatant" status, which denies them the right to a trial while they are held outside of the US, and eventually many are released without ever being charged. But thatâ€™s really beside the point â€“ regardless of their guilt, they are human.

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 22 May 2005 11:45:20 +0000

I am saying that we are justified in times of war in doing whatever is neccessary to protect America. If you truly believe that these prisoners did not know the possible consequences of their actions when they picked up arms against the United States then you are fooling yourself. All of the pacifists in this country can sit back and play “Armchair Quarterback” real well. However, if a missle is launched over American soil, they will be the first to say…”Why didnt we do more to prevent this?” Well, becuase the more we do to try and prevent it the more our government is subject to the retroactive micromanagement of the liberals in this country. I could see your point if we were simply going into homes and pulling people out and tourturing them. However, that isnt the case. These are people are sworn enemies of the U.S. and do not even try to hide it.

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 22 May 2005 03:00:13 +0000

I think no one gives a damn because they are still upset from the events that caused this war in the first place.

Are you saying we are justified in torturing Iraqis because the country of Iraq played some role in 9/11 or that we are justified because we are still blinded by fear?

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sun, 22 May 2005 00:02:17 +0000

I agree with your condemnation of prisoner abuse. Regardless of the amount or severity, there is a concept called human dignity that may never be violated. Once violated it is a short road to excusing anything in the name of "fighting evil."

Concerning point two, "American disinterest," a man named Francis Schaeffer once said that all modern people were really concerned about was "their personal peace and affluence." I'm afraid he is right, and I suspect this is at the root of the apathy you decry. Unfortunately the capitalism we enjoy is a double-edged sword, which often breeds materialistic complacency - just leave me alone and let me have my toys.

It has been suggeted that the chief hallmark of the late Roman empire, before its demise, was apathy and disinterest. While I do not think we are there yet, it is disturbing we care so little about so much, and so much about so little.

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 21 May 2005 12:58:10 +0000

You bring up a good point about the motivation behind our collective disinterest in prisoner abuse that I’ll expand on in my next post.

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 21 May 2005 10:44:00 +0000

I think no one gives a damn because they are still upset from the events that caused this war in the first place. And the media constantly reports the stories skewed in order to keep the hate flowing.

No one below the rank of Grunt is going to be implicated. That is the beauty of higher ranks...they are sheilded from what happens. Two words...Plausable Deniability.

In the entire scope of prisoner interrogation, I think this is a very slight view. I think you and I both would be surprised at what is "Condoned" in the process of interrogation.

I would think that you would be more baffeled that no one in America really gives a damn about the American reporters that are kidnapped tortured and killed by the terrorists.