Submitted by ARich, Dec 14, 2007 14:23

I am frankly quite alarmed by the Mr. Johnston's willingness to ignore the effects of psychological torture. Oppressive regimes around the world use such methods as electro-shock treatments, stress positions, mock executions, water-boarding, and the like, all of which can result in long-term psychological trauma. Trained individuals who deal with torture victims know that 'real torture,' as Mr. Johnston put it, is not limited to physically visible wounds.

I am not saying the U.S. is an 'oppressive regime,' I am simply saying that for diplomatic and security reasons, it would in our interest to distance ourselves from the same tactics.

Secondly, the U.S. policy will always be against torture, but that doesn't mean it is not willing to participate when it feels its necessary. That can be said of any country, really. It's far more politically safe to use euphemisms such as "enhanced interrogation techniques." In the mean time, the citizens, legal experts, and politicians are all left to debate the issue

As a citizen of this great country, I refuse to accept such cruel and unusual punishment, even ton he "terrorists." We have an image to uphold, and if we allow for exceptions, if we buy into the "ticking time bomb" myth that allows us to torture people when its necessary, we are compromising the very values that we claim to uphold as a nation.

Some argue that U.S. civilians might lose their lives if we back off on our interrogation techniques. I would say that if it comes down to my life or the soul of my country, I'm not sure how much my life really matters in the long run.

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