I noticed today that the current and past directors of the CIA have gone full court press asserting that enhanced interrogation techniques -- aka torture -- did indeed lead to the termination of Bin Laden. There appears to be growing concern that somewhere soon, or in the future, an international tribunal may be convened to look into the American use of such enhanced interrogation techniques, and that those who participated or authorized such activities will be subject to apprehension whenever they travel internationally and then tried for human rights violations. I wonder, should those who did use such techniques be subject to prosecution? And if they are, and if they are found guilty, what should their punishment be?
What about those who actually killed Bin Laden? Based on what the movie Zero Dark Thirty depicted and from what I have heard reported about the raid, it appears that Bin Laden was unarmed when the raid occurred. Was it necessary to have summarily killed him? Would the capture and subsequent trial of Bin Laden been a more preferable outcome? Why?
Similarly, since 2009, more than 2400 people have been reported killed under the Obama drone campaign. Most of those killed have not had a trial but have nevertheless been summarily killed based upon information I assume was provided by the CIA. Have their human rights been violated? Should those responsible for their summary executions be held accountable for violating their human rights?
Does the absence of ethics with regards to torture also apply to the absence of ethics with regards to the summary termination of a human life?
One of my other duties with the City of Richmond has involved the creation of the Human Rights and Human Relations Commission, In that role, I have become extremely aware of and sensitive to the violation of human rights in so many places in the world. Indeed, in another of those coincidences that happen in this life, it was yesterday December 10 that marked the 66th anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
I am sure those in power here in the United States are aware of the tenets of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Unfortunately, although the United States voted in favor of the Declaration, its actions in recent years and today do not appear to abide by the Declaration the United States approved. Somewhere, in the intervening 66 years, the United States seems to have lost its way, or may be we just no longer care. I do not know. Maybe others can tell us.
Nevertheless, it seems that there really is no debate to be had on the ethics of torture. Based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, torture is unethical and a violation of human rights. But ultimately, the discussion will need to be broadened. The discussion should also look at the ethical foundation for the ongoing War on Terror and wonder how history will judge it.
As always,
Peace.
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