by Dhruva

Created on: June 26, 2009   Last Updated: July 08, 2009

President Obama's position on torture is clear. By his decree, the United States will no longer torture captured terrorists, it is against "our values". My question is: Since when is self defense against our values? One thing I've noticed about Obama (from his obtuse denial of the utility of the surge strategy in Iraq and surveillance at home, which he eventually realized was right, to his cutting of missile defense funding and desire to negotiate unconditionally with our enemies), is that he seems to have a very loose grasp of the basic concept of self defense. However, as I am about to demonstrate, his idyllic notions that we should be torture free, are not just unrealistic, but downright foolish. Not only that, but it is a promise that we could never possibly keep. Which of course is Obama's modus operandi when it comes to winning the adoration of the masses.

If someone is trying to bash your head in with a baseball bat, it is perfectly acceptable for you to knock that aggressor down and twist his arm in such a painful way that he loses his will to hold onto the weapon and drops it. He also loses his will to keep attacking you. That's called SELF-DEFENSE. Torture has such a nasty connotation, but what is it really? It is just force, and force is either used for self defense or aggression, depending on intent. Intent is the root of all ethical or unethical actions.

Now, what if we capture a terrorist, and he's just sitting in an interrogation room, smiling at you like Hannibal Lector, while his well-laid plans are in motion to kill thousands? Is it NOT acceptable to use force to get him to stop the attack just because he isn't physically moving his body in an aggressive manner? According to Obama this is exactly right. However, according logic and reason, it's preposterous. Why is it alright to torture the guy with the bat by cranking his arm, causing painful submission in order to get him to cease his attack, but it's not alright to torture a terrorist to get him to stop his attack?

Some might make the argument that if you torture an innocent person they will tell you anything. That is true, but it doesn't change the fact that if you torture the guilty, they will tell you what their plans are. All 3 detainees that were waterboarded by our government were self-proclaimed enemies of the U.S. We knew by their own actions and admissions that they were not innocent. So for those who want to say we should never use force on detainees because they might be innocent,

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