"Torture"

Torture is a deliberate and systematic dismantling of a person’s identity and humanity through physical or psychological pain and suffering. The United Nations define the torture means; “For the purposes of [the] Convention, the term “torture” means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on 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 capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions.”

Torture is illegal in the U.S. because of the 8^th Amendments. The 8^th Amendment in Bill of Rights clearly states: “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”

In my opinion, I don’t think tortured way is perfect way of getting information from enemies because the more you torture the enemy, the more enemy hateful to you, and that enemy never open up what you want to hear from his or her mouth. In additionally, I found on the web that was a big examination was done over the CIA’s program under Bush administration that CIA’s program did not produce any useful intelligence. And I also found the scientific literature say about torture that “A 2006 Intelligence Science Board flatly noted that there was no data supporting the claim that torture produces reliable results.”

The Patriot Act was passed by the U.S. Congress only days after the September 11^th attacks, and it was signed by the President George W. Bush. The Patriot Act gave too much power to the National Security Agency and other federal agencies on domestic and international surveillance of electronic communications and also gave more power to defense agencies from sharing information about potential terrorist threats and coordinating efforts to respond to them. However, the Patriot Act raised concerns among civil liberties groups and other critics surrounding the data privacy rights of U.S. citizens. I can’t exactly say that I like or dislike the Patriot Act, but I need to comply that law because I believe the government protects our country, and I feel that I personally haven't lost any liberties or freedom in my life up until now. I’m doing what I want to do in every day. However, I like the title VI of the Patriot Act that “Title VI amended the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA) to change how the U.S. Victims of Crime Fund was managed and funded, improving the speedy provision of aid to families of public safety officers by expedited payments to officers or the families of officers injured or killed in the line of duty. Payments must be made no later than 30 days later.” I’m really appreciated for those people who were killed when they are protecting us.

The U.S. government can’t torture either its own citizen or foreigner because of the 8^th Amendments. Even if in the foreign countries, the U.S. government can’t do that because of the 8^th Amendments.

If I have been detained by the government for information, I definitely cooperate with the government, and say everything what I have known. If they don’t believe what I said to them, I’ll say what they want to hear from me. Therefore, I disagree torture is not the right way to get the information.