Battle not with monsters - the ethical dilemma of waterboarding

May 16, 8:43 PMGeopolitics ExaminerMichael Hughes

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Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. -Friedrich Nietzsche

Based on the assumption that waterboarding is torture, and both proponents as well as opponents of the practice contained herein accept that it is, our next challenge is to determine, as we place legality, security strategy, and politics aside, whether or not torture is ever ethically or morally admissible.

TORTURE JUSTIFIED
The most provocative pro-torture argument I have heard to date is the theology of Just War, developed by St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.), which blesses the act of waterboarding because the ends sometimes do justify the means. Although the doctrine is focused on exculpating those who prosecute conventional warfare between nation-states, waterboarding advocates have applied the dictum, which can be found, believe it or not, within the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in paragraphs 2302-2317.  It basically legimitizes the use of force so long as a high prospect for success exists, all other means have proven ineffective, and that the "use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated."

The other major rationalization for waterboarding is succinctly outlined by our friend from a previous waterboarding article on strategy, Charles Krauthammer, who does believe that torture is an impermissible evil, however:

Except under two circumstances. The first is the ticking time bomb. An innocent’s life is at stake. The bad guy you have captured possesses information that could save this life. He refuses to divulge. In such a case, the choice is easy. Even John McCain, the most admirable and estimable torture opponent, says openly that in such circumstances, ‘You do what you have to do.’ And then take the responsibility. The other exception is the extraction of information from a high-value enemy in possession of high-value information likely to save lives.

One of the most shocking advocates of ticking time bomb torture, although only if a number of stipulations are met, is world-renown liberal defense attorney Alan Dershowitz who stated on CNN: “If torture is going to be administered as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to be done openly, with accountability, with approval by the president of the United States or by a Supreme Court justice.”

UNJUSTIFIABLE
If one has any doubts that waterboarding is torture just ask ex-Navy Seal Jesse "the Body" Ventura who has argued that the quality of the information wrung out of terror suspects is questionable, which makes the practice even more morally abhorrent:

I’ll put it to you this way, you give me a waterboard, Dick Cheney and one hour, and I’ll have him confess to the Sharon Tate murders.

An anti-torture military interrogator has said that it breaches our sense of honor, arguing: “we cannot become our enemy in seeking to defeat him.” The values argument contends that we cannot stoop to al-Qaeda’s level because in doing so we then compromise the very principles we are seeking to defend.

Anti-torture Catholics refute the Just War Theory and claim that the Second Vatican Council was clear that torture was immoral in all cases and they also cite the Catechism as a source to validate their position: “Torture which uses physical or moral violence to extract confessions, punish the guilty, frighten opponents, or satisfy hatred is contrary to respect for the person and for human dignity.”

A leading Christian Conservative and major supporter of George W. Bush, Southern Baptist ethicist Richard Land, is against torture without exception, including the Machiavellian Just War argument: “If the end justifies the means, then where do you draw the line? It's a moveable line. It's in pencil, not in ink. I believe there are absolutes. There are some things we must never do.”

There are those who have even charged the doctors attending torture sessions with malfeasance for violating medical ethics because they undermine the fundamental tenet of: “First, do no harm.”

THE AMERICAN SOUL
Concluding, then. This author believes that waterboarding is torture, torture is immoral as well as un-American. To try and rationalize its implementation in anyway brings into play a dangerous moral relativism which can only enable our enemies to more easily justify their own acts of evil.

Ticking time bomb theorists make a valid point that torture could save thousands of lives if said torture yields the thwarting of a terrorist plot. However, this leaves too much room for interpretation for my tastes, because then anyone can justify torture based on subjective guesstimates of potential “high value” information that might be produced. If we would extend this theory to be failsafe, we might as well nuke the Middle East completely to rid the planet of most terrorists, which, regardless how anfractuous, would undeniably save countless American lives.

I must come clean and tell you that I am no devout man of faith; however, as far as the Just War theory goes even St. Augustine said the doctrine was imperfect and that true justice shall only be found in the world to come. And if you are pro-torture, but are also among the God-fearing who believe in the afterlife, surely you must feel a ping of doubt and dilemma of conscience about your position. Consider but for a moment the likelihood that perhaps your Almighty scoffs at man’s little justifications for harming His children. And if He does, Islamofascism will be the least of your problems.  

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The Waterboarding-Gate Series:

• I - Torture is in the eye of the beholder (Legal Perspective)

• II - To torture or not to torture (Strategic Perspective)

• III - Let's Play Hardball (Political Perspective)

• IV - Battle not with monsters (Ethical Perspective)

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For More Information:

Pelosi takes on CIA, GOP

Dick Cheney may have used to torture to try and forge false link between Iraq and Al Qaeda