Harsh interrogation methods stain US image, endanger soldiers: experts

[maddezmom]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The use by the United States of harsh interrogation methods against suspected terrorists has stained the country's image and is putting US soldiers' lives at risk, experts said here Wednesday.

"If we use torture when we question prisoners, we forfeit the right to demand that anyone treat our soldiers decently if they are taken prisoner," former army intelligence officer Stuart Herrington told AFP at a forum on the use of torture in interrogations.

"If we engage in that kind of activity, we put our soldiers at increased risk," he said.

"Our place in the world has been eroded" by the use of torture in interrogations at "war-on-terror" prisons in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, said Ken Robinson, who served for 20 years in organizations including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and National Security Agency.

"We have lost the moral high ground," he said.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080618/pl_afp/uspoliticstorturerights_080618185252

[BOSSHOG]

1. "we have lost the moral high ground."

that should only apply to ignorant dittohead trash with values who vote for warmongering chickenhawks. Sadly the whole country must be tainted by the actions of pathetic human beings who really, really value THEIR constitutional liberties.

[saigon68]

6. It's TORTURE

Vigorously shoving a plastic flashlight up some one's rectum is Torture

It's in the Taguba report for all to read

[bullimiami]

2. hey chicken shits ... its called torture. say it!

im so sick of mealy mouthing the truth by the media and our government.

[bdamomma]

3. and we will losing alot more, if we do not get these SOB's

out before they do more damage, and they will until they are stopped.

[tridim]

4. Well duh: Most of DU, 5 years ago

[Whoa_Nelly]

5. After all this time when we already knew this

they finally make a statement.

Bush is going out of office.
All these cowards want to do is shame him and his cabal.
Well, shame on them! :grr:

They committed treason, went against International Law/Geneva Conventions.
Shaming is waaaaaaaaaaay to soft a punishment.
Banishment to The Hague would be so much more justified, and would certainly bring back some dignity and respect for our nation, if not from the outside world, at least for those within our borders who have known these thugs for what they are for so many years.



:rant:

[Overseas]

7. Recommended the story on yahoo. Glad to have experts agree

with common sense.

[frebrd]

8. Considering that torture, by its very nature,

casts doubt on the value of any information obtained that way, one has to conclude that those who authorized the torture did so simply because they get off on the idea of torture.

When you condider who those people were, it's not surprising.