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Imagine lying inverted on a wooden board with your arms and legs strapped down. You can't move. Blood is rushing to your head. Suddenly buckets of water are poured on your face. You can't breathe. You're gasping for air while you gag on water. You break your arm as you struggle to get out of your restraints. It feels like you're drowning.
Sounds like a nightmare. Too bad something like this actually happened. A lot.
And according to The Associated Press waterboarding was used on two alleged terrorists in 2002 and 2003. Memos were released documenting the use of waterboarding as an interrogation technique after Sept. 11.
Wait a minute? Torture? We don't do that.
Torture is now as American as obesity and apple pie.
Many politicians over the years have said America doesn't condone torture, giving us a stellar anti-torture reputation.
We used to pride ourselves on not using torture techniques. We weren't like all those other barbaric countries that used any means possible to get people to give up the secret family recipe.
I think our American ideal wasn't necessarily concerned with evidence that torture inflicts incredible human suffering; it was just something America doesn't do. We were able to put ourselves above other countries.
We pride ourselves on freedom, opportunity and humane treatment of prisoners.
Well, thanks to the memos, American's reputation is a bit tainted with torture.
Our new reputation reads: America doesn't negotiate with terrorists. We just torture them until they talk.
Recent reports documented that water boarding was used 266 times between two prisoners, according to CNN.com.
Really? Once wasn't enough?
I'm just going to throw out the idea, not an accusation but just the idea, that we got some kind of jollies off of torturing these people who could of killed a bunch of Americans.
I've heard people talk about how these prisoners deserve what they got. They're terrorists. They want to kill Americans. Let's do whatever we can to prevent that. Beating, simulating drowning, starving, and denying human rights aside, Americans are safe.
Sharp-shooter and former vice president, Dick Cheney defended the use the torture to keep Americans safe, saying, "The enhanced interrogation program stopped a great many Sept. 11-like attacks," according to Time.com.
I call bullshit on this one.
Yes, I want Americans to be safe just as anyone else. I enjoy knowing my freedom isn't going to be compromised on a daily basis.
However, I don't want my freedom to be based on human suffering. I think this is where our reputation as being non-torturers failed.
Our intentions didn't really come from a good place. We weren't concerned with not inflicting pain or suffering. It was really just to save face. That's how we failed.
To me, America looks like a hypocrite. But there's hope for our damaged reputation.
President Barack Obama recently banned the use of water boarding as a technique of interrogation and calls for prosecutions those who authorized it, according to LAtimes.com.
OK, we're trying to do something about it.
I think we need to recommit ourselves to being world leaders for something more than torture. Let's take a stand on other issues. How about: America doesn't tolerate poverty, or violence against women.
Here's my memo to America:
Hey, it sucks you made an ass out of yourself. Now is the time to check yourself into reputation rehab. Permanently put down your torture devices and lay off the apple pie.
Carla Hansen can be reached at chansen@theorion.com
Government memos claim these things aren't 'torture'
Stress position | Meant to cause more physical discomfort than pain. Causing muscle fatigue is the main goal here.
Fear factor | One case told of a captive who was placed in a cramped box. A harmless bug was put inside and, because of his fear of bugs, he was told it was capable of stinging.
Slapping | intended to shock, surprise or humiliate. The interrogator slaps the subject with the fingers slightly spread and invades the subject's personal space.
• Other "aids in interrogation" include "attention grasping" or holding a person's face while interrogating them, and "walling" where the subject is placed against a flexible wall, pulls them slightly forward and suddenly pushes them back into the wall. They get away with this by saying it is not torture since it's not intended to cause severe pain.
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