reply to post by Daisy-Lola
In summary, you would
change physical torture for mental torture. Well, that's OK then!
So you agree with what the MI5 allegedly were doing, and not with what Bengali forces were doing.
Well, in the instance where I believed lives
could be saved, I would resort to the kind of mental torture I described: ie normal UK police tactics. I would not however threaten to kill someones
family. To me that seems like crossing a line.
Nor would I absent myself from a room so that somebody else could do the actual physical torture whilst I turned a blind eye, because morally I know I
would be just as guilty. In reality, the only reason to leave the room would be so that I would merely be guilty of conspiracy to torture, which if I
were MI5, I would be protected against prosecution for (in the UK only) by 1998 law. I would however realise that should I ever end up in court in The
Hague, I wouldn't have a leg to stand on.
Originally posted by Bunken Drum
The suffering of a city full of people was necessary to prevent greater suffering.
Originally posted by Daisy-Lola
So we're talking about 1 person, in the prevention of possible terrorist threat against many, which is OK by your quote
No it isn't.
Churchill didn't order the bombing of Coventry; we're not guilty of something unless we cause it, or take part in a conspiracy to make it, happen.
The allies just refused to act against the bombing so as to save greater suffering. Its the difference between pushing a child in front of a car &
refusing to swerve to avoid a child when to do so would endanger you, your passengers, other road users & passers by.
What it comes down to is whether you believe that a govt must be kept within strict boundaries of law lest it turn into out of control tyranny, or
not.