Has the U.S. Been Engaged in Systemic Torture?

**Kaiser of Arabia** · 05-07-2006, 00:07

Originally Posted by Tribesman

Case and point. Anything they say is the opposite from the truth
So Saudi Arabia has equal rights for women and foriegners , Cuba has a free press and Palestinian groups don't do terrorism

It appears in this case you have no point at all Capo .

Do I ever have a point?

**Tribesman** · 05-07-2006, 00:27

Do I ever have a point?
Sometimes Capo

BHCWarman88 · 05-07-2006, 04:35

Originally Posted by Tribesman

Do I ever have a point?
Sometimes Capo

so,
What your Point??

**PanzerJaeger** · 05-07-2006, 04:38

No, the US does not engage in systemic torture. It has happened, but it is not policy.

**KukriKhan** · 05-07-2006, 06:09

http://www.answers.com/systemic&r=67 another cross-over word from medicine to politics.

I guess our Lemur, by his citations and usage means:

affecting an entire system

that system being the military, from its commander in chief down to, and understood by, the lowest-ranking West Virginia trailer park reservist private soldier.

Different from 'Systematic'.

The implication being: did/does someone, somewhere in the US military chain of command, direct or condone applying toture?

Clearly, some Privates thought so. And some Sergeants. And some Officers.

Were they all wrong in that "it's OK" thinking? A 'perfect storm' of miscommunication and predisposition to aberrent behavior? Maybe.

Or: was/is there a wink-and-nod approval of such tactics by someone, or several someones, in the chain of command - presumeably, as long as it yielded results? Maybe.

Lots of 'maybe's there, but I voted "No". My Army of 20 years ago would never do such, so I assume today's military likewise would not.

But I recognize that 'my Army' of 30 years ago... might have.

And I fervently hope that those nightmare days of the late 60's/early 70's haven't returned. If they have, we are in big trouble. Politically, militarily, morally. IMO.

**Lemur** · 05-07-2006, 15:46

It's true, I meant "systemic" in the sense of affecting an entire system. Immediately after posting, I realized it wasn't really the right word, but I left it alone, since I've never figured out how to edit the title of a thread after posting.

Later on I realized someone might think I mis-typed "systematic," which only added to my agony. Oh, the shame of selecting a not-quite-right word for a title.