Politics as usual

another world

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7198435.stm

Found this to be so typical of politics today. Because the US and Israel are allies of Canada they are being taken off a list of countries that practice torture. It's clear as day that the US practices torture, I don't know about Israel but I would make a bet they do. Does it matter whether the country actually practices torture? apparently not, it only matters whether you are friends (read: have vested interests) or not (read: can't make money out of said country). If this is the case (and it appears to be) how can we believe a word coming out of these countries? How can foreign affairs reports be taken seriously? I believe they can't...

Another point is how BBC simply tells the story without looking into what the story implies. Reporting? A five year-old could do that.

bartholomewbinn

another world wrote: »

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7198435.stm

Found this to be so typical of politics today. Because the US and Israel are allies of Canada they are being taken off a list of countries that practice torture. It's clear as day that the US practices torture, I don't know about Israel but I would make a bet they do. Does it matter whether the country actually practices torture? apparently not, it only matters whether you are friends (read: have vested interests) or not (read: can't make money out of said country). If this is the case (and it appears to be) how can we believe a word coming out of these countries? How can foreign affairs reports be taken seriously? I believe they can't...

Another point is how BBC simply tells the story without looking into what the story implies. Reporting? A five year-old could do that.

You can bet your little cotton socks that Israel uses torture.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,2074067,00.html

cavedave

Moral relativism is not something new.

To take one example The allied bombing during world war 2 was a war crime.
Watch this video for an admission of this.

Torture is wrong and the west should not do it. One important reason not to torture is that it does not work. If you torture someone they will tell you anything so you have no idea that what they tell you is the truth.

Kev_ps3

Well then that list has no credibility and should not be taken seriously. Simple as that.

Manic Moran

cavedave wrote: »

Moral relativism is not something new.

To take one example The allied bombing during world war 2 was a war crime.
Watch this video for an admission of this.

Whilst there was certainly some moral relativism going on (witness the trial of Adm Doenitz), I'm not sure that the strategic bombing campaign was quite to the same level. The shooting of hors de combat personnel has little practical effect in the grand scheme of things, but I think one would be hard pressed to say that in the case of total war, the destruction of cities had no military effect. Once one side has decided to abandon the rules, as Japan had done, there is little reason to maintain them on your side unless it benefits you militarily (For example, shooting prisoners is militarily stupid and costs you in the long run). There is little consolation in knowing that you 'played fair' if the other guy won or if your country has taken far greater damage than it needed to.

NTM

fly_agaric

Moral relativism is not something new.

"We find it to be offensive for us to be on the same list with countries like Iran and China. Quite frankly it's absurd," said the US ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins.

I can solve it!
Maybe there should be two lists! One for the ally/client states of the US that torture judiciously with a heavy heart and a tear in their eyes in the name freedom and democracy. Another for the "axis of evil" and the nasty Chinese Communists whose agents torture for nefarious purposes (probably they enjoy it or something)!

But I forget - torture is not "torture" until some American judge rules that it is so.:o