How can “waterboarding” be torture when electroshock treatment is not?
On one hand, part of the definitions of torture and treatment lie in the purpose. Setting a bone without anesthesia – or even re-breaking a badly set one can be extremely painful but sometimes necessary, for instance. That’s treatment. Breaking a bone in order to inflict pain either to get information or coerce someone to do something or just for shits and giggles is torture. Basically the same actions and levels of pain involved but different reasons and motives make a world of difference. On the other hand, modern electroshock therapy isn’t what you saw in the 1950’s. They try to limit exposure, pain, and side effects. All that said, there are many who would still, call it torture.
Related Questions
- The alleged terrorist that was tortured into giving false answers which directly lead to the Iraq war has committed suicide in Libya. Is this the kind of success pro-torture advocates speak about when they say torture works?
- Whats the difference between "enhanced interrogation techniques" and torture?
- Should Republicans torture John McCain until he says torture works?
