Torture and Public Policy - 1586 Words

Torture and Public Policy Kevin Huckabee Stephen F. Austin State University Prepared for: PBA-500 Survey of Public Administration Abstract The subsequent case study, prepared by James P. Pfiffner, Torture and Public Policy, (2010) analyzes the torture and abuse of war prisoners by United States military personnel in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, following photographs of the abuse spread around the world in the fall of 2003. Pfiffner points out that the United States Military, Secretary of State Donald Rumsfield, and President George W. Bush assumed a role in the events leading up to the exploitation, even though it has never been corroborated that President Bush or Secretary of State Rumsfield directly condoned the abuse.†¦show more content†¦Lieutenant General Anthony R. Jones investigated the possible involvement of personnel higher in the chain of command (Jones 2005). Lieutenant General Jones concluded that abuse ranged from inadequate resources, confusion about allowable interrogation techniques, conflicting â€Å"policy memoranda,† to â€Å"leadership failure.† Lieutenant Ge neral Jones also noted that â€Å"leadership failure, at the brigade level and below, clearly was a factor in not sooner discovering and taking actions to prevent† the abuses. Torture was considered to be somewhat justified in such incidents known as the ticking time bomb scenario. For there to be a justification for the necessity of torture to protect lives there must be six key items present: 1) There must be a planned attack. 2) The captive must know about the planned attack. 3) Torture must be the only way to obtain the information. 4) The captive must be persuaded to provide the information. 5) The information must be accurate. 6) If the information is obtained, there must be time and means to prevent the attack. The ticking time bomb scenario did not pertain to Abu Ghraib, since the detainees were merely Iraqi delinquents who did not have knowledge of future planned attacks on the United States by al Qaeda. The Geneva Convention and its participants keep all pr isoners of war on a uniformed playing field, to preventShow MoreRelatedTorture and Public Policy907 Words   |  4 PagesSummary ‘Torture and public policy’ said about story of brutal torture which arouse in Abu Ghraib. Brutal torture was outcome of chain of actions. Although upper officer did not intend make it occur. This is chronological order which bring about brutal torture. 1. President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld decided, against the advice of some professional military officers, to limi the number of troops sen to Iraq. 2. President Bush decided that the Geneva ConventionsRead MoreHow Do Foreign Affairs During Vietnam Justify Public Or Private Tactical Behavior?1633 Words   |  7 Pagesdegree is torture valuable? How do foreign affairs in Vietnam justify public or private tactical behavior. T.S. Eliot: â€Å"There is no such thing as a Lost Cause, because there is no such thing as a Gained Cause.† Growth and power come paired with conflict and danger. The United States must use interrogation to ensure the safety of its citizens. A history of torture to get information is prominent between many nations, however the use of such interrogation is often kept private from the public. NaturallyRead MoreThe Legacy Of Ford s Policies1682 Words   |  7 PagesBut Ford’s policies also had some larger, positive effects. â€Å"Mass production soon moved ... to all phases of American industry and set a pattern of abundance for 20th century living. ... [and] helped America’s 20th century middle class take off.† (Cwiek, 2014). As explained in the film â€Å"Henry Ford,† with Ford’s cheaper, reliable cars also came greater mobility, which liberated Americans with a sense of control over their destinies and hopes for new possibilities. (Colt, 20 13). Automobile industrializationRead MoreThe Torture Myth, by Anne Applebaum 903 Words   |  4 PagesIn the article, â€Å"The Torture Myth,† Anne Applebaum explores the controversial topic of torture practices, focused primarily in The United States. The article was published on January 12, 2005, inspired by the dramatic increase of tensions between terrorist organizations and The United States. Applebaum explores three equality titillating concepts within the article. Applebaums questions the actual effectiveness of using torture as a means of obtaining valuable information in urgent times. ApplebaumRead MoreTorture Allowed in the United States1408 Words   |  6 Pagessimilar incidents. Torture can be used to prevent these terrible incidents and save the lives of many people. Torture in the United States has been a debatable subject for many years now but after resent tragedies, the idea of torture of many American citizens has changed. It has also been debated ove r more after the attacks on September 9, 2001 than any other time in American history. Many fight the legalization of torture for moral and civil reasons but the truth is that torture is a lesser evilRead MoreRussia And The Ukrainian Government1671 Words   |  7 PagesIn war-torn eastern Ukraine, both the Ukrainian government and the separatists acting on behalf of Russia violate the human rights established in the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.Ukraine has been a nation in crisis since 2013, when then-president Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign an association agreement with the European Union that had been in the works for years, instead choosing to strengthen ties with Russia. This led to a politicalRead MoreThe Truth about Torture and Enhanced Interrogations1577 Words   |  7 PagesThe Truth about Torture and Enhanced Interrogations Beaten, broken, burned, bruised, tortured. Torture is defined as a â€Å"deliberate, systematic, or wanton infliction of physical and mental suffering by one or more persons acting alone or on the orders of an authority to force another person to yield information, make a confession, etc† (Torture). Throughout history, torture has been used for extreme punishment or unreasonably hateful oppression but more recently torture has been used to force theRead MoreWheel of torture1724 Words   |  7 PagesWHEEL OF TORTURE Ten (10) Philippine National Police officers have been discharged after revelations that they played a game called â€Å"wheel of torture† at a secret detention facility. The Commission on Human Rights is looking into the supposed maltreatment of up to 41 detainees in the Philippine National Police facility in Bià ±an, Laguna. The facility is a 200-square-meter bungalow being rented by the Laguna police intelligence branch first district unit composed of 12 staffs. At the kitchen areaRead MoreTorture and National Security: A Moral Question Essay1388 Words   |  6 Pagesaddresses these questions, there seems to be room for expansion with a type of gray area subject. The text that I recommend for inclusion into the Calling and Leadership 102 curriculum is an 1978 entry into the Philosophy and Public Affairs journal simply entitled, Torture, written by Henry Shue, a Senior Research Fellow and Professor of Politics and International Relations at Oxford University. If included in the curriculum, it would be in the Section 3b, which asks if disobedience or violenceRead MoreA Case For Torture By Michael Levin1200 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"A Case For Torture† is an essay written by Michael Levin in which he tries to make a compelling case for the use of torture as a punishment during specific situations in the United States. Levin cites different hypothetical situations in order to logically prove his argument. His use of theoretical instances is meant to help direct the reader to an understanding of the applications of his policy on torture. The examples he uses include a hypothetical terrorist attack on Manhattan and hospital robbery