TORTURE: ITS REPERCUSSIONS FOR THE REST OF US

The infamous torture report came out recently with a harsh reality check for the CIA. Not only did they torture, but they lied about it.  They certainly have their defenders who maintain that valuable information was obtained that protected American lives.  The report itself denies that claim.

In my nightmares it is hard to deny that torture would force many people, including me to give up their secrets.  Real spies and soldiers undoubtedly have more courage than I possess, but there is a limit to how much even the best of them could endure.  Nonetheless there are doubts as to its effectiveness.

We all have heard of confessions under duress.  Sometimes we assume that the person really was guilty and would otherwise have lied with a straight face if questioned.  All too often we learn later that they were in fact innocent.  This suggests the idea that people will say anything to stop the torture and too often their confession may not be true.  It may not be true because of a deliberate strategy of the victim to mislead.  It may not be true because of a deliberate strategy of the victim's overseers.  It may not be true because the victim really doesn't know.  It may not be true because the victim feels it is safer to agree with the accusing tormentors than fight.

When we are desperate, we resort to desperate measures.  After 9/11 there was fear everywhere that terrorists could strike at any time in any place.  We lowered our standards and I don't just mean our leaders, but also ourselves.  Many of us thought quietly to ourselves and some spoke out loud that nothing should be held back in our quest to find out what the terrorists were planning.  If someone died or suffered it served them right for being involved with terrorists.

Whether information gained from torture is useful or not there are other concerns, really costs involved.  We know that many of our enemies don't hesitate to torture and brutalize anyone they capture and assume that they would no matter what we do.  Is that really always true for every one of our "enemies"?  We are creatures of habit and respond to peer pressure, but we all know stories of people who resisted doing bad things and tried to rectify injustice.  World War II with the Holocaust produced significant people who were repulsed by the Nazi brutality and did what they could to shield its victims.  We know there were Americans who protested their own brutality in recent times. Is it not possible that by setting a good example other humans similar to ourselves would feel more resistant to abuses of power by their own side?  What about our front line combatants (in or out of uniform); do we not care about them?

We know that Al Qaeda and other extremists felt that American and allied abuses were very helpful for recruiting fighters.  It is very possible that the latest release of information will be used as a tool by our enemies.  In fact it seems very likely that the new recruits have killed many innocent people.  On the other hand our confession may give credibility to our claims of avoiding future torture.

All that said, politics can be a dirty business and we will see plenty of evidence in the near future. John McCain for all his faults has put things in perspective.  He understands the inhumanity of torture.  However I suspect other Republicans will use the release of this report to prove how soft and foolish the Democrats are and that Obama is a secret Muslim.  We all know that governments do what they feel needs to be done to protect their citizens and often publicly stated rules are bent and kept under cover.  Innocent people die and suffer in "national interests."  In chess, victory is given when one side is able to disable the king--everyone else is killed or captured, but not the king.

I recently read an article by Juan Cole where he recounted several instances of the American Founding Fathers that demonstrated they were against torture.  George Washington was aware that the American rebel prisoners had been killed by the British, but refused to allow revenge.  His thinking and that of other founders was that they were superior ("exceptional" if you will) to the old European way of doing things.  This has been twisted to the idea Americans are superior and can do whatever they want to protect their interests.

Like many I feel somebody should pay for the lies and distortions.  Many actually profited out of these false and brutal things.  Inevitably most will get away with it.  I hope the Americans learn a few lessons and can appreciate that they are all complicit.  I don't exempt us Canadians and other allies as in various ways we are scarcely better.  Sometimes it is very easy to be self-righteous, especially when one is on the outside that we are better people, but the truth is human nature is universal although our particular circumstances are randomly different.

I applaud the courage required to present the report and hope it is a small step for civilization.

Photo:  taken by the Huka Falls in New Zealand.

THE GREAT DISRUPTION: IS IT REALLY ON?

A lot of us have been hearing warnings of catastrophe for years and have hardened ourselves to it. Personally it takes little effort to ignore or dismiss most disaster predictions or to develop a deaf ear. After all one has to get on with living with all the regular day to day problems.

Paul Gilding is formerly a frustrated environmentalist that used to think if you could picture the impending disaster scarily, but accurately enough people would do something about it. He has now concluded that was delusional.  However he draws parallels with World War II. Looking back in hindsight there were lots of indicators and warnings. Not much heed was given, but when the boiling point was reached there was a massive concerted effort to deal with it. The key for Gilding will be when environmental problems such as climate change come with serious economic costs, public opinion will shift dramatically.

Like all predicted problems when they actually occur it is better to have some preparation. Gilding has plenty of advice, but tempers it with the realization that details are very hard to predict.

At the bottom of the problem is our feeling that our economy must be continuously growing. If there are finite resources sooner or later you will run into problems unless you find a way to use existing resources in a sustainable way. After the 9/11 tragedy the advice from George W Bush was to "shop." The implication being that to get back to normal and not let the terrorists win, the most important thing was to resume shopping and let our economy keep growing.

By our incessant emphasis on using up resources to keep the economy growing we are approaching a tipping point that points to a "Great Disruption."

The solution involves a bunch of things you are already familiar with and that we have been told are too expensive and disruptive for our economy and way of life. Reduce carbon emissions as quickly as possible and turn to alternative sources of energy. This means a switch from oil and its support industries to something cleaner with a lot of very difficult adjustments. It means cutting out as much as possible harmful practices that seem normal to-day. This process will not be completed for decades.

All is not lost. With disruptions come opportunities to re-direct our activities. Paul explores a basic goal of mankind--happiness. Studies he refers to suggest that happiness for poor people can be increased by small increments in wealth, but as wealth continues to increase it no longer necessarily increases happiness and certainly not at the same pace as before. But we are conditioned to strive for more wealth. A big disruptive shift of circumstances will encourage an examination of what we value most. If we choose mankind can provide meaningful jobs and a higher purpose for everyone. Fun will still be part of our future.

People can learn to work together for our overall happiness. Nobody knows how things will work out, but it seems to me after reading this book (and many books picturing upcoming environmental problems) we are inevitably headed to some major changes, in fact a Great Disruption. Paul Gilding thinks we can turn things around. I wonder.

Read the book. It is certainly thought provoking.