- Jan 12, 2005
- 9,500
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Ok, just to gauge where the pro-torture crowd really reside, here's a hypothetical situation that really could happen:
ANeutralReporter (ANR), a citizen of Switzerland, announces that in order to be able to effectively research and report both sides of the Jihadist-versus-the-West, he will not take sides in the "war". He wishes to visit both "enemy camps," and in order to gather information effectively - without risk to himself - he promises that he will not reveal any crucial operational information he discovers that might give an advantage to one side or the other. His objective is to understand and report on what motivates each side, and to get the "inside stories" of what's going on behind the scenes. He further states that if he is taken hostage by Jihadists, the West is to refuse to negotiate, and if he dies, he dies - this is the only approach he can think of that may help to protect him.
Over several years, ANR builds a reputation for impartiality and integrity. He reports both flattering and unflattering portraits of both sides. He discovers much interesting information about both Jihadists and American warriors that shows that what has been reported in the conventional press is often inaccurate - both to the good and to the bad. ANR is able to confer with sources deep within America's political and military establishments, and also within Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other Jihadist/fundamentalist organizations.
One day, because of the instability in Pakistan, a nuclear device falls into the hands of Jihadists. Everyone knows that there will be an attempt to detonate the device in a major Western city. Western security services go on high alert, but very little is discovered. ANR, meanwhile, continues his investigations, and it becomes obvious from his reportage that he knows a lot about what has happened with the nuclear device and what the Jihadists' intentions are.
But true to his word, ANR does NOT reveal any information that might help the West. When asked by western security services what he knows, he refuses to say anything. As justification, he states: "If I tell you anything, I will no longer be able to do my job. Not only that, my life will be forfeit." Everyone knows that what he is saying is true.
So the question arises: Should the west FORCE ANR to reveal what he knows? If necessary, should they torture him?
What do YOU think?
ANeutralReporter (ANR), a citizen of Switzerland, announces that in order to be able to effectively research and report both sides of the Jihadist-versus-the-West, he will not take sides in the "war". He wishes to visit both "enemy camps," and in order to gather information effectively - without risk to himself - he promises that he will not reveal any crucial operational information he discovers that might give an advantage to one side or the other. His objective is to understand and report on what motivates each side, and to get the "inside stories" of what's going on behind the scenes. He further states that if he is taken hostage by Jihadists, the West is to refuse to negotiate, and if he dies, he dies - this is the only approach he can think of that may help to protect him.
Over several years, ANR builds a reputation for impartiality and integrity. He reports both flattering and unflattering portraits of both sides. He discovers much interesting information about both Jihadists and American warriors that shows that what has been reported in the conventional press is often inaccurate - both to the good and to the bad. ANR is able to confer with sources deep within America's political and military establishments, and also within Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other Jihadist/fundamentalist organizations.
One day, because of the instability in Pakistan, a nuclear device falls into the hands of Jihadists. Everyone knows that there will be an attempt to detonate the device in a major Western city. Western security services go on high alert, but very little is discovered. ANR, meanwhile, continues his investigations, and it becomes obvious from his reportage that he knows a lot about what has happened with the nuclear device and what the Jihadists' intentions are.
But true to his word, ANR does NOT reveal any information that might help the West. When asked by western security services what he knows, he refuses to say anything. As justification, he states: "If I tell you anything, I will no longer be able to do my job. Not only that, my life will be forfeit." Everyone knows that what he is saying is true.
So the question arises: Should the west FORCE ANR to reveal what he knows? If necessary, should they torture him?
What do YOU think?
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