RichardMontgomeryHighSchool

ISTORTUREONSUSPECTEDVICTIMSJUSTIFIED?

IsbahAfzal
TOEFLPREPCOURSE
Mrs.MelissaParks
December,14,201

ISTORTUREONSUSPECTEDVICTIMSJUSTIFIED?

Everycountrysmainconcernhasforeverbeentoprovidesecuritytothecitizensfrom
terroristattacksandprotecttheborders.Theycantstandthefactofincendiariespollutingtheir
countrywithsorrowanddistresswherechildrenbecomeorphansorparentshavetoplantheir
childrensfuneralinsteadoftheirfutureplansofsuccess.However,sometimesinthissearchof
pinpointingterroristsandpunishingthem,theagenciesoversteptheirlimitsandstarttreating
thesesuspectsinsuchinhumanemannerthatitmakesusquestionourowngovernment.That
verygovernmentthatforcesustofolloweveryrule,doesitreallyabidebyalltherulesitselfas
well?

Foryears,
theU.S.government,militaryandlawenforcementagencieshaveusedthe
systemoftortureonsuspectedterrorists.Themostcommonmethodsoftortureusedbythe
governmentare:
rectalfeedingandhydrationinwhichsuspectsareforcefedandhydrated
throughatubeinsertedintotheirrectums,theyareoftenalsofedhummus,nutsandpasta
throughtheirrectum.Confinementinabox(page11)isanotherformoftorture.
Itssaidtobe
aboutthreefeetlongoneachside.Apersonisusuallyputintoitforoveranhour.Thecirclesof
theboxaresmallholesthroughwhichinterrogatorspokethinobjects.T
heuseofcoldwater,
waterboarding,beatings,threats,stresspositions,sleepdeprivation,forcednudityandrestricted
dietsareonlysomeofthem
.

ISTORTUREONSUSPECTEDVICTIMSJUSTIFIED?

Ibelievethatthesewaysoftortureareinhumaneandsomewhatbiasedknowingthatthereare
otherlesspainfulwaysofobtaininginformationaswell.Therearealotofpeoplewhoarefor
andagainsttheideaoftorture.InmythesisIwillnotonlyshedlightonmypointofview
butalsotheideasofotherswhothinkthissystemisfairandwhytheyarewrong.Mystatements
willbesupportedwithstatementsofgovernmentofficialsandpsychologists.
Foralongtime,storiesoftorturehavebeenkeptsecretfromthemedia.Therearemany
peoplewhowanttheirstoriestobeheardanduncoverthisideaofgrotesqueprotectionthe
peoplehaveintheirmindsofthegovernment.Oneofthesepeopleis
AlfredaDisbarro,afilipino
chargedforsaleandpossessionofillegaldrugs.Usuallywhenapersonischargedwith
possession,theyaretakentoaninterrogationroomwheretheyareaskedtoturninallthenames
ofthebuyer,thesellerandthewholegroupinvolved.Thiswholeprocedureisprettyharmless
andshouldntrequireanytorturousprocedurehowever,shewasforcedundertheactsoftorture
whichledtoanenormousamountofpain.Shecouldn'teat,haddifficultybreathingandkept
vomiting.Disbarrowastakentopoliceheadquarterswhereshewasforcedtoadmitherguiltvia
methodsoftorturethatinvolvedpunchestothestomachandface,blowsbyaclubandwooden
stick,fingerstotheeyes,andbeingforcedtoeatamop.(Luxen,Micha,
GlobalInformation
Network).
AccordingtoDisbarro,shewastorturedcontinuouslyuntilsheconfessedforher
crime.30yearsago,TheInternationalAmnestyofHumanRightsstartedanewcampaignagainst
theuseoftorture.Despitethatmanypeoplereportedtheuseoftortureinthepast5years."It's
virtuallyeverywhere,inonewayoranother,"
(MichaelBochenek,AmnestyInternational'ssenior

ISTORTUREONSUSPECTEDVICTIMSJUSTIFIED?

directorforlawandpolicy)
,toldIPS.Manypeopleareconfusedthatwhyisntthelawagainst
torturebeingfollowedbythegovernment.Oneofthereactionsincludedthegovernmentof
Angolathatfired16prisonofficialsandfiremenduetophysicalviolenceagainstprisoners.A
videooftheincidentwasrecordedinwhichtheguardsbeatuptheprisonerswithgreatcruelty
andthenlaughedatthemastheprisonersbledandcriedfortheirlife.

Notonlystories,butmanypicturesthroughcontrabandcellphoneshavealsoplayeda
majorroleatrevealingtheirresponsibleprisonofficials.In2003and2004,
picturesofIraqi
prisonersshackledtoelectricalwiresandleasheswerereleased(page11).Theabusescandalthat
happenedatAbuGhraibprisonbroughtshocktotherelativesofthesuspectsandembarrassment
abroad.Sadlythenewsofthepicturesfadedaftermorethanadecadewithoutanyofficials
facinganyconsequences.

Aprivatecontractorthatprovidedinterrogationservicesattheprisonaccusedits
employeesofinhumanetortureandfiledalawsuitagainstCACIPremierTechnology.Forseven
yearsthesuitresistedchallengesandhasnowtakenanewturnwhereboththesidesarewaiting
forarulinginVirginia.StephenI.Vladeck,whoisalawprofessoratWashington'sAmerican
Universitysaysthatjudgeshavebeenreluctanttoletmostcasesagainstmilitarycontractors
proceed,preventingplaintiffsfromusingthediscoveryprocesstogathermoreevidencethat
coulddirectlyimplicatethecontractors.Theonlyactiontakenwastheconvictionof11U.S.

ISTORTUREONSUSPECTEDVICTIMSJUSTIFIED?

soldiersforhumiliatingandabusingprisoners.Thereportsreleasedagainstthecontractorswho
participatedinhorrifictorturouseventsatAbuGhraibhavebeenappointedbutnonewere
prosecutedcriminally."Youhadsomeofthelowlevelmilitaryfolksheldaccountable,butnot
theirleadersfurtherupintheirchainofcommand,andcertainlynottheprivatemilitary
contractorswhowerealsothere,whowereinvolvedinmanyoftheverysameincidents,"said
P.W.Singer,authorof"CorporateWarriors:TheRiseofthePrivatizedMilitaryIndustry.""Itis
nowadecadesince,andkeyplayersinoneoftheworstscandalsinrecentU.S.historyhavenot
facedanyaccountability."hecontinued.

SalahEjaili,a44yearoldmalewasarrestedin2003whilecoveringforanexplosionin
theIraqiprovince.HewasheldatAbuGhraibfor48dayswherehewasbeaten,exposedto
elementswhilestandingnaked,leftinsolitaryconfinementandwentthroughdifferentactsof
torture."Iusedtohearloudscreamsduringthetorturesessions."Ejailisays,"Whenpeoplelook
atotherswhoarenaked,theyfeellikethey'reanimalsinazoo,inadditiontobeingtermedas
criminalsandasterrorists,"hecontinued.Ejailisfacewasusuallycoveredduringinterrogations
duetowhichhewasunabletoidentifythosewhomadehimgothroughsuchdisgusting
conditions.AnothervictimoftorturenamedTahaYaseenArraqRashid,alaborer,saidhewas
sexuallyabusedbyawomanwhilehewascuffedandshackled,andalsothathewasforcedto
watchafemaleprisoner'srape.

ISTORTUREONSUSPECTEDVICTIMSJUSTIFIED?

Anotherevidencereleasedwasphotostakenof
thepoorconditionsoftheprison,lackofofficials
supervisingtheprisonersandtheviolencethatoccurredamongtheprisonersduetotheir
irresponsibilityandnegligence.Theimageisnotonlyshocking,butitalsoresemblestothatof
theAbuGhraibprisonpicture,wherea14yearold,servingan8yearsentenceforarmed
robbery,wasaggressivelybeatenupandassaultedbyotherinmates.Afterthepictureswere
released,theprisonofficialstookimmediateactionsandputtheinjuredvictimunderprotection.
Eventhoughtheydidtakesuddenaction,thequestionisthatwhydidtheprisonofficialsletsuch
athinghappeninfirstplaceandhowcouldtheybesoirresponsiblethattheprisonerswereable
tobringacontrabandcellphoneinsidetheprison.Ibelievethatalltheseprisonofficialsshould
alsobekeptunderobservationbyhighertrustworthysecurityofficialstominimizeanysortof
prisontoprisonviolenceandnegligence.

Aftermanyshockingpicturesreleasedbythepress,thelawtookimmediateandharsh
interrogationagainsttheprisonofficialsaccordingtowhichtheyhavetoabidebythelawsofa
manualregardingtortureandanypersonwhofailstodosowillhavetofacetheconsequencesas
well.Manyprisonofficialswerechargedwhoeitherrefusedordidnotfollowtheselaws.

Theevidenceprovidedthroughvariouspicturesandstorieshasmadethegovernment
takestrictactionsagainsttheofficialsandrestrictingthetypesoftortureusedbyinterrogators.
Suchlegislationislongoverdue."
(LosAngelesTimes).
Theauthorarguesthatlawsshouldbe

ISTORTUREONSUSPECTEDVICTIMSJUSTIFIED?

passedtoavoidtheuseoftortureasmuchaspossible.TheDetaineeTreatmentActof2005
requiredallmembersofinterrogativeorganizationtorefrainfromusing"cruel,inhuman,or
degradingtreatmentorpunishment"ofanyoneincustody,excludingTheDepartmentofDefense
andTheCentralIntelligenceAgencywhichmadespecificpracticesofflimits.Anattemptmade
tobringtheCIAunderthesameactwasvetoedbyBushin2008.In2009,PresidentObama
issuedarulingrequiringallinterrogatorstoabidebythemanual.Therulingbannedeight
techniquesoftortureasfollows:waterboardingforcingadetaineetobenaked,performsexual
acts,orposeinasexualmannerplacinghoodsorsacksovertheheadofadetaineeorusingduct
tapeovertheeyesapplyingbeatings,electricshock,burnsorotherformsofphysicalpainusing
militaryworkingdogsinducinghypothermiaorheatinjuryconductingmockexecutionsand
deprivingthedetaineeofnecessaryfood,waterormedicalcare.Inadditiontothat,an
amendmentpassedbyFeinsteinandMcCainrequiresthemanualtobeperiodicallyreviewedto
ensurethateveryoneisabidingbyitandtheresultsofthoserevisionswouldbemadepublic.
Finally,itrequiresallagenciesofgovernmenttoprovidetheInternationalRedCrosswithaccess
todetaineesintheircustody.

TherewasastrongersenatestatementontorturepassedwhenPresidentObamabanned
tortureinJune2015afterpartiesofSenatevotes7821.ThelawincludesUSArmyFieldand
alsograntedaccessofthedetaineesinAmericancustodytotheRedCross.Obamawantsthelaw
tostayfirmsothatinfuturenootherpresidentcanturnoverthelaw.Unfortunately40%ofthe

ISTORTUREONSUSPECTEDVICTIMSJUSTIFIED?

Americanpopulationstillbelievesintortureastherightwaytoaccessinformationfrom
suspects.CurtGoeringsaysthattheUnitedStateshasalwaysbelievedintheprotectionof
humanrightsandshouldcontinuetopasslegislationtoensurethoserightsagainstbiastortureas
well.

AllthevictimsoftheBusherathatwentthroughtortureweretreatedbypsychologistswho
concludedthatthesepeoplearescarredforlife.Thetypesoftorture,harassmentandsexual
abusetheyhadtogothroughhasbroughtthemintothistrancefromwhichtheywillneverget
outof.Thepsychologistsstatethatoncethesevictimscomeoutofprisonstheywillbeamong
normalcitizenswheretheywillhavetobesociallycompatiblewithotherpeoplebutwillbe
unabletodosoduetobeingdominatedbyinterrogatorsforsomanyyears.Theywillalwaysfeel
insecureandwillstayunderothersthumb.

IntheendIwouldliketoconcludethattortureisaveryharsh,unbearableandunethical
procedureusedforasimplereason,thetruth.Manypsychologists,lawyersandpresidentshave
strictlyforbiddentheuseoftortureagainstvictims.Sadly,despitethelaw,thenumberofvictims
whoundergounfairtreatmentkeepsincreasing.Thereareafewpeoplewhobelievethattorture
istherightwaytotreataterroristbecauseofthehorrificattackstheyhaveputthecountry
through.Theybelieveintheconceptofaneyeforaneyeorlifeforalife.Whattheydont
understandisthatthepeoplethatundergotorturearesuspectedvictimswhichdoesnotmean
theyareguiltyofthecrimeandiftheyarenot,thentheywillgiveintostoptheagonisingpainof

ISTORTUREONSUSPECTEDVICTIMSJUSTIFIED?

thetorture.Thisalsoshowshowbiasthesystemisbecausewedontknowhowmanypeoplegot
convictedjustbecausetheygaveuporjustbecausetheyactuallycommittedthecrime.
Especiallyafter9/11thereweremanypollsconductedinordertogathertheopinionofthepublic
onwhethertortureisjustifiableornot.Ingeneral,58%ofthepopulationagreedthattorturewas
justifiableandshouldcontinuetobecarriedoutbythegovernment.AftertheBusheraended,
manyreportswerereleasedthatshowedoveradozenofsuspectswrongfullyheldandtortured
forcrimestheydidnotevencommit.Onecanneverbesureofwhoisrightandwhoswrong,
therearemanypsychologicalwaysoftrickingthemindintotellingthetruthaswellsuchastruth
drugs,orhypnosisassistedwithliedetectormachines.Thiswaynoonecangethurt
psychologicallyorphysicallyandAmericaspurposeofseekingthetruthandprotectingthe
borderswillalsoremain.

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Pictures

ConfinementBox

Iraqiprisonersshackledtoelectricalwires

Anotherpicturethatwentviraldepictingaprisononprisonviolence.