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Most Americans believe torture can be justified - poll

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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16,391 ✭✭✭✭mikom


    noted.
    I'm not going to engage in whatifery with you, but everyone has a line they would cross, despite any moral assertions to the contrary from the comfort of their bedrooms in nice safe Ireland, safe because of the likes of the Americans and British foreign policies.

    A little light reading for you........ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin_and_Monaghan_bombings



    Awaits the "but that was 1974" comment.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    mikom wrote: »
    A little light reading for you........ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin_and_Monaghan_bombings



    Awaits the "but that was 1974" comment.

    sorry, there wont be such a comment.
    Do you not think Ireland is safe?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16,391 ✭✭✭✭mikom


    sorry, there wont be such a comment.
    Do you not think Ireland is safe?

    Dublin was safe on the 16th of May 1974.
    Then the 17th happened.

    See how that works.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    mikom wrote: »
    Dublin was safe on the 16th of May 1974.
    Then the 17th happened.

    See how that works.

    1974... See how that worked?
    Do you feel safe in Ireland now?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    1974... See how that worked?
    Do you feel safe in Ireland now?

    We've never been safer or healthier in our history than we are now.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 25,435 ✭✭✭✭Timberrrrrrrr


    noted.
    I'm not going to engage in whatifery with you, but everyone has a line they would cross, despite any moral assertions to the contrary from the comfort of their bedrooms in nice safe Ireland, safe because of the likes of the Americans and British foreign policies.

    You're ****ting me right? American foreign policy is probably the biggest threat to the world. We're not safe because of America's foreign policy we are safe DESPITE their foreign policy!

    BTW, Israel doesn't have a policy of murdering kids; just think about it, and how its not in their interests. That said, kids do get killed in the conflict, and its terrible.

    Kids get killed because the IDF deliberately target civilian areas and hospitals where those kids are sheltering. If the deliberate targeting of kids is not considered murder then i don't know what is.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,088 ✭✭✭SpaceTime


    What's worrying is that this treatment of prisoners is looking a lot more like extrajudicial punishment than interrogation.

    It's a line that no state should cross but many do when they're responding to extreme violence and threats of terrorism.

    Moving prisoners outside the US to skirt American law was also a very strange and dangerous thing to do. They should have the right to due process under American law and that should always have been the case.

    Underming that is about as "unamerican" as you can get.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    noted.
    I'm not going to engage in whatifery with you, but everyone has a line they would cross, despite any moral assertions to the contrary from the comfort of their bedrooms in nice safe Ireland, safe because of the likes of the Americans and British foreign policies.

    Seriously, neither the UK nor US faced, ever, an existential threat from Al Qaeda, the Taliban or Iraq. Their interventionist foreign policies became self-fulfilling.

    We do not need their foreign policies and it would serve us very well to show as much clear water between us and them as possible.
    BTW, Israel doesn't have a policy of murdering kids; just think about it, and how its not in their interests. That said, kids do get killed in the conflict, and its terrible.

    They may not have a policy of targeting and killing kids but if you have a policy of firing Hellfire missiles into built up areas, kids are going to get killed.

    It's like me blowing someone's head off and saying "Ooops, I was aiming for his ear lobe." Both actions are reckless in the extreme.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16,391 ✭✭✭✭mikom


    Jawgap wrote: »
    We've never been safer or healthier in our history than we are now.

    Said the prisoner in guantanamo bay.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    mikom wrote: »
    Said the prisoner in guantanamo bay.

    I'm not sure what your point is.

    Torturing, extraordinary rendition, US, UK & NATO interventions haven't made us as safe and healthy as we are now - that's why torture is a complete waste of time - it achieves nothing - it serves no ends - and it doesn't make things better.

    It may make certain people feel better to think 'dangerous' people are being physically and/or mentally abused, but that's about all torture achieves.

    9/11 etc didn't come out of nowhere - there were signs, there was information etc all flowing without torture. The failure (we know with hindsight) was one of systems (for example the move away from human source intelligence and its downgrading) and interpretation not information - would analysts be better at interpretation if they were tortured?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16,391 ✭✭✭✭mikom


    Jawgap wrote: »
    I'm not sure what your point is.

    Torturing, extraordinary rendition, US, UK & NATO interventions haven't made us as safe and healthy as we are now - that's why torture is a complete waste of time - it achieves nothing - it serves no ends - and it doesn't make things better.

    It may make certain people feel better to think 'dangerous' people are being physically and/or mentally abused, but that's about all torture achieves.

    9/11 etc didn't come out of nowhere - there were signs, there was information etc all flowing without torture. The failure (we know with hindsight) was one of systems (for example the move away from human source intelligence and its downgrading) and interpretation not information - would analysts be better at interpretation if they were tortured?

    You will get no argument from me on that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28,997 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    everyone has a line they would cross, despite any moral assertions to the contrary from the comfort of their bedrooms in nice safe Ireland

    tim doesn't have a line, as he says so then its true. as you can't prove it, its true. what he says in relation to him goes.
    safe because of the likes of the Americans and British foreign policies.

    bahahahahahahahahaha. sweet mother of jesus. britain attacked, america attacked, because of their foreign policies. ireland, not attacked, because we mind our business and try to be friendly with almost everyone. ireland is safe because we keep our mouth shut, and yes i haven't forgotten about shannon, but its most likely the belief we are effectively bullied into letting the US use it for fear their might be "consiquences" in relation to jobs.
    Israel doesn't have a policy of murdering kids; just think about it, and how its not in their interests.

    israel has a policy of slaughtering those who are not of "the right stock" stealing their land and the rest. even if your not the right type of jew your screwed in that sespit. everything is in their interests because they can get away with it by crying anti-cemitism when someone dares to tell them they are wrong or speak the truth about this terrorist state.
    That said, kids do get deliberately killed in the conflict, and its terrible.

    yes, they do. and poor "everyone feel sorry for us because jews were persecuted" little israel continues to get away with it.

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,173 ✭✭✭twinytwo


    Tzardine wrote: »
    Absolutely it is justifiable.

    It's the reality of the world we live in. If the torture of a person leads to the prevention of killing of innocent people then what is the problem.

    Nice, law obiding people rarely get tortured.


    except its been proven time and time again that torture dosent work as a way of getting information...... so ya....


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    Kids get killed because the IDF deliberately target civilian areas and hospitals where those kids are sheltering. If the deliberate targeting of kids is not considered murder then i don't know what is.

    here we go...
    If Hamas didn't fire their rockets indiscriminately into Israel, from these same areas, they wouldn't be targeted. You are aware the Israelis give advance warning, with several independent reports of residents being prevented from leaving? A dead Palestinian kid is of no use to Israel, but very useful to Hamas. Both side have a responsibility for their tactics that lead to civilian deaths, while the action of Israel is arguably disproportionate, it has a duty to protect its citizens. Take off your blinkers.

    You're ****ting me right? American foreign policy is probably the biggest threat to the world. We're not safe because of America's foreign policy we are safe DESPITE their foreign policy!
    bahahahahahahahahaha. sweet mother of jesus. britain attacked, america attacked, because of their foreign policies. ireland, not attacked, because we mind our business and try to be friendly with almost everyone.


    Since the US became a net exporter of gas and oil products, they could stay the f**k out of the middle east. Yes they've made some monumental messes, no one is denying, but when IS started on the Yazidis, who came screaming in from their bases in Cyprus and and carriers to the rescue?

    Just so you know who's buttering your bread/paying your dole,
    US firms have invested $204bn in Ireland; 115,000 people employed; €3bn contributed to the Irish Exchequer in taxes; €13bn in terms of payrolls, goods and services employed. We're well and truly in bed with them.

    And if you honestly think we would be better of without America and Britain, for all their faults, doing what they do and have done, then I'd entreat you to remove yourselves from where you derive benefit, to one where your ramblings and ideals will find a more sympathetic audience, and from there espouse your views. At least I wont be able to accuse you of hypocrisy.

    Decent broadband might be an issue, charging your ifone another, freedom of speech but a minor inconvenience to a champion such as yourself willing to undergo such privation for your noble cause.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    Being a friend to a America and the UK (which we should be) doesn't mean we have to march in lock-step with them.

    The fact is that IS is not a threat to European democracy and it's an Arab problem that the Arabs will solve. IS rhetoric focuses on 'far' and 'near' enemies. The 'near' enemy is Iran (the Shi'ia) that's who they want to go after first - good luck with that!!! When they're done with Iran then they'll be coming after us.

    And while the US are flying a significant number of sorties against IS, the Iraqi and Qatari pilots are flying too. The US is carrying the bulk of the mission when it comes to air dropping supplies, air lifts and inflight refuelling. But at the moment it's a Jordanian pilot who is sitting in IS captivity - in other words, the US might be making the most visible contribution, but other countries are in there too, some at much greater risk.

    EDIT: as regards US companies here, they didn't set up here out of charity. Yes we benefit hugely from their presence, but so do they in terms of tax reliefs.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28,997 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    If Hamas didn't fire their rockets indiscriminately into Israel, from these same areas, they wouldn't be targeted.

    yes they would. israel wants to eradicate those of the wrong stock so they can take over the land to have one large jewish state. if they weren't raping and slaughtering, hamas wouldn't be firing their ineffective rockets from non civilian areas.
    You are aware the Israelis give advance warning, with several independent reports of residents being prevented from leaving?

    they give not enough warning or none at all. if its true that people are being prevented from leaving yet they bomb anyway, that is murder and proof they don't care as long as those who are non jew are eradicated.
    A dead Palestinian kid is of no use to Israel

    its one less of the wrong stock though. so these kids being dead are some use to israel.
    very useful to Hamas.

    to prove what a ferrel murding vermin state israel is yes.
    Both side have a responsibility for their tactics that lead to civilian deaths

    hamas take the little bit of responsibility they have strangely enough. israel just cry anti-cemitism and the rest.
    while the action of Israel is arguably disproportionate

    its full on mass slaughter.
    it has a duty to protect its citizens.

    not by slaughtering left right and centre.
    Take off your blinkers.

    they are off, and i see the jewish state for what it is, a discrace to the religion they claim to be of. they should be shunned like all other terrorist states are.
    Since the US became a net exporter of gas and oil products, they could stay the f**k out of the middle east.

    then thats exactly what they should do. they have caused most of the problems, britain isn't totally blameless either.
    Yes they've made some monumental messes, no one is denying

    a hell of a lot of a mess. people do deny as such though.
    when ISis started on the Yazidis, who came screaming in from their bases in Cyprus and and carriers to the rescue?

    how lovely, do they want a medal? as they ****ed up iraq it was their job to come in to help. had they left alone in the first place, isis wouldn't have a foot hold in iraq. at least sadam as much as he was a piece of filth he kept the country stable.
    Just so you know who's buttering your bread/paying your dole

    lol!!!!!! . i'm not on the dole thanks so nobody is paying it.
    US firms have invested $204bn in Ireland; 115,000 people employed; €3bn contributed to the Irish Exchequer in taxes; €13bn in terms of payrolls, goods and services employed.

    so what? would they like a medal for investing in a country which offers a low corporate tax rate and tax breaks meaning more proffit? they are here for the good tax breaks and low corporate tax rate and that is all, if any of those go they will be out of here like a shot. so nobody is buttering my bread. i owe the americans nothing, i owe nobody anything.
    We're well and truly in bed with them.

    maybe, but thankfully i don't have to condone or agree with their actions in other countries, and there is nobody to make me do so, or nothing that can be done about it.
    if you honestly think we would be better of without America and Britain, for all their faults, doing what they do and have done, then I'd entreat you to remove yourselves from where you derive benefit, to one where your ramblings and ideals will find a more sympathetic audience, and from there espouse your views. At least I wont be able to accuse you of hypocrisy.

    what are you on about. if i want to criticize the actions of britain and america i will. we would be better off without their foreign policy for definite.

    Decent broadband might be an issue, charging your ifone another, freedom of speech but a minor inconvenience to a champion such as yourself willing to undergo such privation for your noble cause.[/QUOTE]

    what ****ing noble cause. seriously what are you on about, i don't have an iphone nor am i going to waste money on one. but nice generalizations anyway, its all you have got

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    Jawgap wrote: »
    The fact is that IS is not a threat to European democracy and it's an Arab problem that the Arabs will solve.

    Agree, it has to be an Arab solution, but I'm not as optimistic as you. There seemed to be fcuk all happening until the yanks rode in and cobbled together a bit of an alliance.

    yes they waffle waffle...

    Have you anything to add? Anything constructive, other than the same auld meandering bullshit? Dead Palestinian kids are of far more use to Hamas than to Israel. There would be a lot more kids killed, if it wasn't for the limited restraint they are exercising. They are not deliberately targeting them, or raping* their way through Gaza. They could do more to avoid civillian casualties, but that doesn't seem to be your jist..

    That said, I'll go a step further and condemn their tactics. I'd sooner see a realization of the two state solution achieved through meaningful negotiation.

    two questions:
    1. Do you condemn Hamas' strategy of firing rockets, building tunnels?
    2. Do you acknowledge Israels right to exist?

    *You might provide a source for your claim when you get a chance. And dont mind referencing that Keda nut.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28,997 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    Have you anything to add? Anything constructive

    yes, its all i post.
    other than the same auld meandering bull****?

    not meandering bull**** at all. just the truth.
    Dead Palestinian kids are of far more use to Hamas than to Israel.

    oh i don't know. especially when there is land that the israelies want involved.
    There would be a lot more kids killed, if it wasn't for the limited restraint they are exercising.

    "limited restraint" lol. jesus if that is limited restraint then we can only imagine what they would be like if they weren't showing "limited restraint" . no, the americans are finally seeing them for what they are, hence why we aren't seeing what they are really capible of. give it time though.
    They are not deliberately targeting them, or raping* their way through Gaza.

    they are. along with the west bank and all the other occupied territories.
    They could do more to avoid civillian casualties, but that doesn't seem to be your jist..

    they could do a hell of a lot, but they don't want to. because they can get away with it by crying anti-cemitism when caught out
    That said, I'll go a step further and condemn their tactics. I'd sooner see a realization of the two state solution achieved through meaningful negotiation.

    good, thats a huge step in the right direction
    Do you condemn Hamas' strategy of firing rockets

    if any rockets are being fired when not attacked, yes. but that hardly ever happens if at all. they only fire when israel starts the slaughtering, so i condone them in those circumstances.
    building tunnels?

    yes i condone the building of tunnels to circumvent the illegal blockade.
    Do you acknowledge Israels right to exist?

    not on the stolen lands they thieved and eradicated the people from no . had it all been done properly, with no slaughtering and eradication of the people living on the lands in the first place, then yes i would happily recognize them.

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    So you're ok about Hamas firing rockets at Israeli civilians.
    Hypocrite much?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    So you're ok about Hamas firing rockets at Israeli civilians.
    Hypocrite much?

    This is not Chicago in the 1920s - if they use a knife, the appropriate response is not a gun.

    Both sides are as bad as each other and while Israel had a right to defend itself, the right is not absolute and carries an obligation that any force used by not disproportionate.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    So you're ok about Hamas firing rockets at Israeli civilians.
    Hypocrite much?

    Out of interest. The Republic was used as a safe haven during The Troubles. In the wake of any atrocity committed up the North or in Britain, would the Brits have been justified in plonking a couple of 500lb bombs on selected houses in Dundalk for example if they had decent intelligence that the houses were bring used as safe houses? Or maybe on a Garda station if they had evidence of collusion?


  • Registered Users Posts: 28,997 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    So you're ok about Hamas firing rockets at Israeli civilians.
    Hypocrite much?
    no, and thats not what i said at all. but nice try at twisting.

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    no, and thats not what i said at all. but nice try at twisting.

    this is what you said:
    if any rockets are being fired when not attacked, yes. but that hardly ever happens if at all. they only fire when israel starts the slaughtering, so i condone them in those circumstances.

    if being attacked you dont condemn them. So its ok for Israeli civillians to be targeted...
    That sir, is hypocrisy.
    I haven't twisted anything.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28,997 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    this is what you said:

    yes, and i stand by it. read it again
    if being attacked you dont condemn them.

    no, the palestinians have a right to repel the the israely army who keeps up and starts aggression at every opportunity, on made up grounds.
    So its ok for Israeli civillians to be targeted...

    no, and they aren't deliberately targeted unlike palestinian civilians.
    I haven't twisted anything.

    yes you have

    ticking a box on a form does not make you of a religion.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    Jawgap wrote: »
    Out of interest. The Republic was used as a safe haven during The Troubles. In the wake of any atrocity committed up the North or in Britain, would the Brits have been justified in plonking a couple of 500lb bombs on selected houses in Dundalk for example if they had decent intelligence that the houses were bring used as safe houses? Or maybe on a Garda station if they had evidence of collusion?

    if they Brits decide to bomb Dundalk, I'd point the lasers for them!

    seriously, circumstances a tad different:
    The republicans at the time were a minority, not a democratically elected government with a mandate to bring the existence of Britain to an end.
    Bombing houses/civilians in Dundalk or Garda stations, would have been an attack on another "friendly" sovereign state, a significant trade partner, co member of the EEC, friend of America, their biggest ally, etc.
    Much better to despatch an SAS squad.

    I'm sure some elements of the British security services would have loved to, but the brits were cute enough not to leave any more fenian dead. And sure didn't we have the Monaghan and Dublin bombings, an attack by the UVF with collusion by NI/British security services.
    There's a degree of rationality present, absent in the Israel/Hamas conflict.

    Do you think they would have been justified?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    yes, and i stand by it. read it again
    yes you have

    These Quassam/Grad/Fajr5/M302 rockets are fired indiscriminately into Israel, without any guidance system, towards populated areas. Some of them cost about 500 bucks to make. That the Israelis manage to shoot down most, and other fall in fields, doesn't diminish the fact that civilian population centers are targeted. Here's what Human Rights Watch has to say: "Palestinian armed groups made clear in their statements that harming civilians was their aim"
    Israel has been (such) rocket free for 6 hours.Link is a little tool that resets every time a rocket is launched.

    Fact: You very clearly stated you condone Hamas rocket attacks on Israel.
    You even stood over them. And yet you claim I have twisted your words. I condemn targeting civilians, you cant even bring yourself to do that.

    You have proven yourself incapable of coherent debate, rational thought, and without the capacity to consider anything from a different perspective. Based on your ramblings to date, you are also probably anti semitic.

    Add me to your ignore list, as I have you. You have nothing to offer.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    if they Brits decide to bomb Dundalk, I'd point the lasers for them!

    seriously, circumstances a tad different:
    The republicans at the time were a minority, not a democratically elected government with a mandate to bring the existence of Britain to an end.
    Bombing houses/civilians in Dundalk or Garda stations, would have been an attack on another "friendly" sovereign state, a significant trade partner, co member of the EEC, friend of America, their biggest ally, etc.
    Much better to despatch an SAS squad.

    I'm sure some elements of the British security services would have loved to, but the brits were cute enough not to leave any more fenian dead. And sure didn't we have the Monaghan and Dublin bombings, an attack by the UVF with collusion by NI/British security services.
    There's a degree of rationality present, absent in the Israel/Hamas conflict.

    Do you think they would have been justified?

    It doesn't matter whether I think it was justified. And the topic came in up in conversation between Thatcher and Reagan following the 1986 Libya bombings.

    We did have the UVF attacks and it's was supported by the established British military - that being the case would the Irish government have been right to, for example, provide practical support to the IRA to undertake a proxy-strike in retaliation?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    Jawgap wrote: »
    It doesn't matter whether I think it was justified. And the topic came in up in conversation between Thatcher and Reagan following the 1986 Libya bombings.

    We did have the UVF attacks and it's was supported by the established British military - that being the case would the Irish government have been right to, for example, provide practical support to the IRA to undertake a proxy-strike in retaliation?

    Sure it doesn't matter what I think either so.
    Irish government did provide support to the IRA during the troubles.
    Ireland was even considering sending in troops, albeit in 1969


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    Sure it doesn't matter what I think either so.
    Irish government did provide support to the IRA during the troubles.
    Ireland was even considering sending in troops, albeit in 1969

    The government provided support, or people in government provided support?

    The government did consider deploying troops to Derry and Newry, but thankfully common sense prevailed and they listened to the advice of the then Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    Jawgap wrote: »
    The government provided support, or people in government provided support?

    The government did consider deploying troops to Derry and Newry, but thankfully common sense prevailed and they listened to the advice of the then Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces.

    is there a difference?
    the advice of the Army was this is nuts and we'd be wiped out.


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