Thou Shall not threaten to do mean things, that's torture!!

[GAP]

NATO probes Afghanistan torture claims
25 June 2007
Article Link

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force for Afghanistan (ISAF) says it is investigating a report that American and Afghan soldiers were involved in abusing a suspect in Afghanistan.

A statement says the US soldier in question has been temporarily removed from his post pending an investigation.

A correspondent with German magazine Focus, Wolfgang Bauer, reported this month that he and a magazine photographer witnessed an incident by US and Afghan soldiers he believed amounted to torture.



Focus reported that a patrol apprehended a suspect in a house in Ghazni, south-west of Kabul, during a search of a village for Taliban fighters.

The magazine said that when the suspect refused to talk, an Afghan platoon leader tied one end of a rope to the suspect's foot and the other to a vehicle and then threatened to drag the man unless he told the truth.

It reported that the platoon leader then had an American soldier start the motor.

The magazine printed a picture of what it said was the prisoner tied to the vehicle, with a soldier standing nearby.

After idling for two minutes, the vehicle's motor was reportedly shut off. Focus says the man was not dragged and the suspect was set free.

Mr Bauer wrote that the US soldier, a "fighter against terrorism, is suddenly, according to international law, a criminal".
More on link

 

[Yrys]

The magazine printed a picture of what it said was the prisoner tied to the vehicle, with a soldier standing nearby.

I have difficulties believing that would be a 'real' picture and not a 'recomposition'.

 

[armyvern]

I have difficulties believing that would be a 'real' picture and not a 'recomposition'.

Really? What would your reasoning behind that be??

 

[McG]

If the event happened, then I don't know that I would call it torture.  It would be a gross error in judgement.

. . . but, I don't know that the things happed as printed in the news.

 

[Benny]

So you can get in trouble for not doing something bad now.

Wow.

Better not shoot at anyone.

 

[McG]

So you can get in trouble for not doing something bad now.

Making a threat that you cannot follow-up is stupid.  Getting in trouble for being stupid is certainly fair.  But, I do not know the facts of this incident and am speaking in generalities.

 

[Benny]

Why is making a threat you cannot follow up stupid? It's called bluffing and is used all the time.

 

[MikeM]

+1

 

[McG]

No.  Bluffing is not for threats.  When you are called on a threat that you cannot deliver, you loose credibility & look like an asshole.  You loose the respect of those who might have sided with you, and those who are against you will fear you less.  You can do more damage to your own cause with unbacked threats.

... you become the noisy parent that threatens but does not deliver on the punishment.  You are impotent & the enemy sees it this way.

 

[Benny]

No.  Bluffing is not for threats.  When you are called on a threat that you cannot deliver, you loose credibility & look like an *******.  You loose the respect of those who might have sided with you, and those who are against you will fear you less.  You can do more damage to your own cause with unbacked threats.

... you become the noisy parent that threatens but does not deliver on the punishment.  You are impotent & the enemy sees it this way.

If I've got someone with a leg tied to a vehicle, I don't think he's going to have much respect for me to start with. No info would have been gained by not doing it. Possibly some info is gained by doing it. Nothing to lose here.

 

[McG]

Nothing to lose here.

Except the respect of the local population & of the enemy.  You will be seen to back down.

... but tying the leg to the vehicle was already across the line.

 

[Yrys]

Really? What would your reasoning behind that be??

Well, maybe I'm crediting the soldiers with too much awarness about theirs actions,
but while doing something illegal why document it ?