Radio Host Mancow Waterboarded
Even though right-wing TV personality Sean Hannity is too afraid to follow through on his promise to be water boarded on air, others aren’t. Witness this incredible display by conservative shock-jock Erich “Mancow” Muller having himself water boarded. After lasting only 6-7 seconds he reverses his opinion on the subject and declares without a doubt that the procedure is indeed torture. Are you listening Mr. Cheney?
Sean Hannity will never allow himself to be water boarded on television or on his radio show. If he were, he would be be forced to admit that his position on the treatment is wrong and that water boarding is, in fact, torture. Hannity is a transparent coward who has no right to speak on the subject until he submits to the same treatment that Erich Muller does here. Time to step up Sean.
[hat tip to Andrew Sullivan for this post]
The problem with physical torture (aside from the obvious) is that it produces unreliable results. The subject is more likely to say anything that will end the tourture. Psychological torture, like sleep deprivation, has been demonstrated to produce more reliable results.
Of course, it’s all barbaric, but the people who do this stuff for real are aware of the above. Which begs the question: Why are they REALLY doing it?
Having seen waterboarding performed first hand in Iraq, I have to say that it is usually allot more scarring than what Mancow when through. There is no crying uncle, and no bright lights to give you a feeling of safety. Waterboarding is in fact torture, because a detainee will confess to anything after a few seconds of “simulated drowning”.
Garrick, thanks for stopping by with your thoughts and for serving our country. We are grateful, take care.
Further emphasizing Garrick’s point: http://gawker.com/5271813/did-erich-mancow-muller-fake-his-waterboarding-for-publicity
Real or not (I thought it looked light compared to other waterboarding demonstrations I’d seen on tv) I agree it is torture.
I hope Ged doesn’t mind this additional reference, but this is an EXTREMELY relevant and fascinating article about someone I think is a hero and should be better known. The FBI agent who tried to pull the plug on the “harsh tactics (torture)” before the ball got rolling.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/195089
Also, if you are still reading Garrick, I echo Ged’s thanks for your service.
Haha. Of course it’s torture. What, do you want to hold hands with terrorists and feed them cupcakes with tea while they confess? Get fucking real.