Ridge: We were wrong to torture

Ridge: We were wrong to torture

news.bbc.co.uk

America's first homeland security secretary has accepted some criticisms of the US "war on terror" made in a recent report by legal experts.

Tom Ridge told the BBC that the report's attacks on extended detention and torture were justified.

But he also said the US had been dealing with a new kind of threat.

The report the International Commission of Jurists said anti-terror measures worldwide had seriously undermined international human rights law.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Oh, so now they realize that human rights have been undermined!!

Took them long enough... just how many people, world wide, does it take to shout and scream about the abuse before some 'crat sits up and asks for the question to be repeated?

Torture can NOT be justified, EVER! It is bully boy tatics because you're not getting your own way. Bullying is illegal in some parts, so how far does torture overstep that law?

framework of international law had been actively undermined by the US and the UK.

Interesting comment...it seems to be an admission of guilt.

"The criminal justice system is about prosecution and counter-terrorism is about prevention," he said.

"When you are taking upon [yourself] the responsibility to prevent acts I think you do need to engage in slightly different tactics in order to ensure that it happens."

This does not justify torture, or the need for it to be carried out, you must find other ways of prevention but even trying to prevent events can hav a drastic effect on other events and could do more harm than good in the long run. The idea that you are 'preventing terror' would not be so harsh i it was not for all the rubbish TPTB have spewed along with the constant fear mongering they have forced into our daily lives.

"individuals who sought to kill innocent civilians, accepted a belief system that the end justified the means."

Does that include all the US/UK soldiers who have killed/murdered innocent Iraqi civilians both directly and indirectly?

they don't wear the uniform of a country so we can't treat them as we have done in previous wars."

Wrong!!! they are combatants regardless of what they are wearing and should be treated as such. Anyone who takes up arms to fight for what they believe in is a combatant.. Remember the French resistance during WW2, and what about the militia in the war of independence?

Seems that some tend to forget history too easily and that new excuses are just as good as the old ones as it is a new,and still gullible, audience that has to suffer fools such as this.

I find it highly interesting as to how the words war on terror in the first paragraph have been surrounded by " "

Is "someone" trying to hint that the "war on terror" may not be all that it is made out to be?

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 21-2-2009 by Extralien]

What really makes torture senseless that it's all part of this stupid War on Terror. When will the idiot american wake up and realize that terrorism is a tiny problem. How many americans died of terrorism in 2008 or 2007 or 2006 etc.?

To those who say on 911, 2001 we lost 3000 americans to terrorism, i remind you that we have 3000 easily prevented highway deaths every MONTH and nobody gives a damn about that.

Just ignore terrorism.

What makes me mad is how these International organizations go after Western society to make an example out of them but would dare not try to mess with the likes of China, Russia, or Iran.

Is torture wrong? Yes, it is. Were we wrong torturing people? Yes, we were. However, we aren't the only country to do so. Shine the light on all of them, not just a select few.

Originally posted by Make Speed Limit 45
When will the idiot american wake up and realize that terrorism is a tiny problem. How many americans died of terrorism in 2008 or 2007 or 2006 etc.?

Terrorism sure took a hit after President Bush went after them. Can you imagine how many Americans would have died from terrorism if Bush did nothing?

I don't like discussions about torture, because torture can mean so many different things. A female interrogator could be considered torture, as could sleep deprevation, solitary confinement, temperature extremes, a slap up side the head, threats of rendition, loud music. Alot of trivial things could be considered torture. Also don't forget that the Al-Queda training manual encourages claims of torture to captured members.

[edit on 21-2-2009 by RRconservative]

Originally posted by RRconservative
Terrorism sure took a hit after President Bush went after them.

Just how did Bush go after terrorist? How many terrorist are in Crawford or Kennybunckport?

Originally posted by RRconservative

Originally posted by Make Speed Limit 45
When will the idiot american wake up and realize that terrorism is a tiny problem. How many americans died of terrorism in 2008 or 2007 or 2006 etc.?

Terrorism sure took a hit after President Bush went after them. Can you imagine how many Americans would have died from terrorism if Bush did nothing?

I don't like discussions about torture, because torture can mean so many different things. A female interrogator could be considered torture, as could sleep deprevation, solitary confinement, temperature extremes, a slap up side the head, threats of rendition, loud music. Alot of trivial things could be considered torture. Also don't forget that the Al-Queda training manual encourages claims of torture to captured members.

[edit on 21-2-2009 by RRconservative]

And how many innocents have died from missiles or bombs going astray or through military strikes on 'prime' targets that often resulted in multiple civilian deaths?

All that from a few guys being tortured... What price do we wish to put on the deaths of others for the profit of a few, after all, this is all about profit and very little to do with any 'war on terror'.

The torutre of one person in order to gain details about another person which results in the death of many inocents is wrong in my book...