It's absolutely torture

[rumorsofwar.livejournal.com]

You've got to hand it to conservative shock jock Mancow. He's got the balls to put his money where his mouth is, unlike a certain squealy-voiced loud-mouth to whom I will anonymously refer as "Inannity".

Basically Mancow just volunteered to be waterboarded, because, hey, it's not like it's torture or anything! How long would you guess he lasted? A minute? Thirty seconds? Fourteen seconds? Try six seconds. It took him a tenth of a minute to leap up and declare that it was torture.

Video of the incident and Mancow's own admission that waterboarding is, in fact, torture behind the cut:

Watch on YouTube

Source article: http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/05/conservative-radio-hosts-waterboarded/

Comments

[pantsu.livejournal.com]

I can't imagine why he would think it wasn't torture. Waterboarding is meant to simulate the sensation of drowning.

In any case, waterboarding works - glad Mancow was able to demonstrate this for us, as if it wasn't already blatantly obvious. Not that I agree or disagree with waterboarding, but you know.

[soliloquy76.livejournal.com]

I can't imagine why he would think it wasn't torture.

Because he's part of the legion of Bush administration apologists that claimed it wasn't torture because he didn't understand what it was all about.

In any case, waterboarding works

Define "works". If you mean it successfully makes you feel like you're drowning, sure. It does not produce reliable intelligence, however. Mancow admitted that he would confess to anything.

[jblaque.livejournal.com]

"Not that I agree or disagree with waterboarding, but you know."

No, I guess I don't know. The UN Convention Against Torture (which President Ronald Reagan signed and championed) states:

Article 1.

1. For the purposes of this Convention, torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions.

2. This article is without prejudice to any international instrument or national legislation which does or may contain provisions of wider application.

Article 2.

1. Each State Party shall take effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent acts of torture in any territory under its jurisdiction.

2. No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat or war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture.

3. An order from a superior officer or a public authority may not be invoked as a justification of torture.

Please expand on:

A) Your personal opinion on the use of torture waterboarding

B) How you believe that it "works"

C) If you believe that there should be an official investigation into the U.S.'s use of torture (as descibed above) on suspected/alleged terrorists "enemy combatants"

D) If you believe those that sanctioned and/or performed such acts, if found guilty in a court of law, should be punished to the full extent of existing law

TIA.

[kunaifusu.livejournal.com]

"It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions." is cute. So it basically says "torture is illegal when it's not lawful and there are no exceptions except when it's lawful, then it's okay".

[rumorsofwar.livejournal.com]

He and many on the Right have said that it isn't. I don't know why the Right would think a lot of things.

And it doesn't simulate the sensation of drowning. It's drowning. You just don't (usually) die from it.

[reality-hammer.livejournal.com]

I'm a firm believer in just getting them drunk.

[soliloquy76.livejournal.com]

And a ham sandwich for that hangover.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

It would be a million time more effective...

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Of course it works....the Gestapo and Kempeitai knew it did, dammit, that's why they did it to our boys in World War II. Should we be aping the fascists? Is that really where the US should go with the most powerful military machine in world history?

[mylaptopisevil.livejournal.com]

i'm glad we all agree that it is torture and, since America is not supposed to endorse torture, those who approved of it should be handled accordingly.

[jblaque.livejournal.com]

As much as I dislike Muller (and I've met him in person on several occasions), I've got to give him credit (unlike Hannity) for actually manning up. I'd like to see even one of the right-wing apologists in this forum volunteer to do the same thing. Hell, I'll donate $5.00 to the veterans' charity of their choosing for every second they can endure it.

Any takers?

I won't hold my breath (no pun intended).

[rumorsofwar.livejournal.com]

I'll match that offer. I'll also add $5.00 a second to the RNC or any other political organization of the victim'sperson's choice.

[reality-hammer.livejournal.com]

Wow, someone named "mancow" said it...it must be true!

[candent.livejournal.com]

Why does it matter?

[prog-expat.livejournal.com]

WTF does his (stage?) name have to do with anything?

[rumorsofwar.livejournal.com]

I'll take the word of a "Mancow" over a "Chickenshit" any day of the week.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

It's a better nickname than Savage.

[jblaque.livejournal.com]

"Wow, someone named "mancow" John McCain said it...it must be true!

Fixed that for you, Private Pyle. :)

Allow me to quote (emphasis mine):

“Anyone who knows what waterboarding is could not be unsure. It is a horrible torture technique used by Pol Pot and being used on Buddhist monks as we speak,” said McCain. "People who have worn the uniform and had the experience know that this is a terrible and odious practice and should never be condoned in the U.S. We are a better nation than that.”

But then, you wouldn't know anything about wearing the uniform, now would you?

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

This was a crime considered worthy of death when done by the Axis Powers in World War II.

I'll give this guy credit, he did put his money where his mouth was.

To anyone that still defends this....you're defending the actions of Tojo Hideki and Adolf Hitler. Mazel Tov, Tovarischi, you're turning into the very thing you claimed to deliver the world from....(Red Army who?).

[lordtwinkie.livejournal.com]

its the new meme! all the kids will be doing this and posting to youtubes!

[prog-expat.livejournal.com]

I wonder how long until Limbaugh throws Muller under the bus as a "wuss" or some such.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

I give it until he hears about it.

When will Limbaugh himself undergo this, the man that was dismissed from Vietnam over a problem on his ass? If he's so enthusiastic about ensuring lots of young men get killed and horribly mangled now...why wasn't he willing to chance it himself, then?

[michaelvacant.livejournal.com]

Was that a cropped photo from something else? Because it seems rather incoherent.

[squidb0i.livejournal.com]

This will likely come to a surprise to you, but left and right are hardly the issue here, and usually non-relevant to most political discussions until spun that way.