Should Waterboarding be used in interrogation

As I alluded earlier, there is NO evidence whatsoever to support the case that torture of any kind (more on definitions later) is effective. The Library Tower plot was foiled in 2002. Kahlid Sheik Mohammed (KSM) was not captured until 2003. It is therefore impossible that any information KSM provided under torture could have been of any assistance to the foiling of Library Tower. See below. http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov... http://www.slate.com... Furthermore you dramatically understate the extent to which KSM was subjected to the waterboarding technique. He was waterboarded no less than 183 times over a 30 day period (see link below), with a yield of 0 incidents of verifiable intelligence data that can be attributed to the use of this technique. This is hardly the picture of an effective interrogation method. http://www.nytimes.com... The US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence conducted a 3 year investigation into the use of and justification for so called 'enhanced interrogation methods' that included waterboarding. Their investigators, despite having access to classified CIA materials, could find no evidence that such methods were effective. http://www.reuters.com... They later declassified the CIA's internal report on the subject which shows that there was even questions of effectiveness within the very agency most actively championing there use. (See my final sentence in round 1). Here is the CIA OIG report: http://media.luxmedia.com... Additionally former FBI Special Agent Ali H Soufan, an FBI counter terrorism, interrogations, and Al-Queda expert, testified before the senate committee and blasted the use of these methods. He not only criticized their effectiveness but,..........wait for it.....claimed that they interfered with the collection of valuable intelligence that was already being gathered by he and his fellow actual interrogation experts! He re stated his arguments before the Senate Select Committee in an OP ED in the NY Times. You can read it here: http://www.nytimes.com...; As you can clearly see, the use of waterboarding can in no way be seen as an effective program. Now, I will briefly discuss definitions of torture. I don't want to spend too much time on this because it is actually relevant to the question of the effectiveness of waterboarding, however I think it is important to correctly categorize this technique for the greater debate and the edification of our viewers. You have already admitted in round 1 that waterboarding is torture. I quote, " It [waterboarding] is more of a mental torture; it simulates drowning." The word "torture" is the subject of the sentence, the word "mental" is the adjective ascribed to the subject. You could replace "mental" with any other adjective, such as, 'lite,' 'evil,' or 'physical' and it would not alter the subject, merely describe it. You state in round 2 that physical torture is different from mental torture because physical torture "comes out with scars, burns, missing limbs,..." This is however not always the case. For example, electrical shock was a very popular method of torture used in another CIA program during the 1950s-1970s (and beyond?) called MK-ULTRA. This was an experimental mind control program. Electric shock was preferred because the pain could be graded easily in voltage and it left no physical traces. Also, I am forced to point out that you did not include the entire Merriam Webster definition in your round 2 post. Here is Webster's full definition with bold text added by me: "1tor"ture noun \G2;toM5;r-chər: the act of causing severe physical pain as a form of punishment or as a way to force someone to do or say something : something that causes mental or physical suffering : a very painful or unpleasant experience Full Definition of TORTURE 1 a : anguish of body or mind : agony b : something that causes agony or pain 2 : the infliction of intense pain (as from burning, crushing, or wounding) to punish, coerce, or afford sadistic pleasure 3 : distortion or over-refinement of a meaning or an argument : straining" "Torture." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 16 May 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com...;. But why should we use a layman definition when we could go to an expert source for a more full definition. Here is how the American Psychological Association defines torture in a 2006 Resolution Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. "[T]he term "torture" means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted upon a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official [e.g., governmental, religious, political, organizational] capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in, or incidental to lawful sanctions [in accordance with both domestic and international law]" Here is the full text: https://www.clarku.edu... As can be clearly seen in both definitions provided above, mental torture still falls within the broader category of torture. Therefore waterboarding is clearly seen as torture. Before we leave the topic of the definition of torture, I will direct your attention to a quote from another expert who testified before the Senate Select Committee. Allen Keller, who was at the time, the director of the Bellevue/New York University School of Medicine Program for Survivors of Torture gave the following statement to the committee: "Water-boarding or mock drowning, where a prisoner is bound to an inclined board and water is poured over their face, inducing a terrifying fear of drowning clearly can result in immediate and long-term health consequences. As the prisoner gags and chokes, the terror of imminent death is pervasive, with all of the physiologic and psychological responses expected, including an intense stress response, manifested by tachycardia (rapid heart beat) and gasping for breath. There is a real risk of death from actually drowning or suffering a heart attack or damage to the lungs from inhalation of water. Long term effects include panic attacks, depression and PTSD. I remind you of the patient I described earlier who would panic and gasp for breath whenever it rained even years after his abuse." his complete statement to the committee can be viewed here: http://www.intelligence.senate.gov... Fear of waterboarding is not the same as being tortured therefore it is not pertinent to this debate. Fear can be induced without the use of torture techniques. You posed the following question to me: "When you say "psychopathic tendency in the mind" do you mean that trying to reveal information that can prevent thousands of deaths and family splits is "psychopathic"?" My answer is no. psychopathy by definition is characterized by the absence of empathy. Therefore it would be impossible for a psychopath to give a flying flip about preventing thousands of deaths etc. They would be capable of obfuscating their real intent (sadism) by making up an excuse to justify their behavior to normal people.