Bill Sykes' - In Retrospect
IV.
(December 2006)
Bill Sykes
looks back in retrospect at material which has been published
in previous editions of "View from America",
in an attempt to determine whether the subject matter
written then is still applicable in today’s world.
These observations have been extracted from Bill Sykes
Newsletter "View from America".
December
2001 Edition.
Article #4A.
Subject: Torture of enemy combatants:
For the non-readers, who didn’t have the time - the inclination
- or on the other hand really didn’t wish to know - now is the time to
read information published concerning the abhorrent, violent, and brutal torture
of so-called enemy combatants that is being performed by many nations under the
guise of gathering information in the name of national security, so-say aimed
at trying to prevent future worldwide terrorist acts.
May I suggest that now is your chance to atone for your past sins and get involved
in the real world with a second chance opportunity to voice your opinions on
the dreadful situations that now confront us.
If we the so-called civilized human beings do not voice our opinions to anyone
of influence in world politics who will listen, then perhaps we could be doomed
to experience retaliatory actions of a similar nature.
History has a nasty habit of repeating itself and the time has come for the general
public to speak out against the sub-human torture that is being carried out in
our name.
This is not a crusade - just an attempt to reiterate some published information
which I consider critical to every ones future well being.
Does "the ends justify the means"?
I watched an American TV program recently where the subject for a round table
discussion group was "Should interrogators of captives, (declared to be
terrorists), subject them to physical and mental torture in order to obtain information
and confessions?". The discussion was centered around the current use of
mind enhancing drugs and medieval methods of torture. It would appear that from
the days of the Crusades and beyond, (ad infinitum), torture has been used to
gain information and confessions.
It has been well publicized and suggested that Russia, Germany, Israeli, China,
and a number of other countries have used methods of torture in the past century
to obtain information and confessions.
Wonder whether we in the United States have participated in such practices?
I was appalled to hear the member’s of the panel agreeing that, "the
ends justify the means".
But when asked, say in the case of the kidnapping of a family member, would they
be prepared to personally participate in the administering of torture in order
to obtain life saving information - the majority demurred.
Authors Note:
There may be other editions of "View from America" containing relevant
associated information on the subject matter under discussion,
which unfortunately I have yet to find during my research - so if anyone out
there finds any article appertaining to "Torture" that I have left
out of this compendium I would be grateful if you would contact me.
Note: To view the complete December 2001 edition of “View from America” please
click HERE.
Disclaimer
Some of the information gathered for this news letter
has been gleaned from American and International media
sources, (including the Internet), and as such is quoted
as accurately as possible. I try to obtain confirmation
on each subject from several outlets, so the text is
a mixture of composite news items and personal comments
and therefore the reader must make his/her own judgment
as to the reliability and degree of accuracy of the subjects
discussed.
We
welcome feedback about any of the contents of these articles.
Please send all correspondence to bill_sykes@huddersfield1.co.uk
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