Extracting Information
There is one thing to keep in mind in discussing torture. US military policy and the Geneva Conventions say that information a captured soldier is is required and allowed to disclose to the capturing power. You must give your name, rank, identification number, and date of birth. That is the only information you are supposed to give.
In discussing how you treat prisoners of war and torture you always have to turn things around. You always must treat your captives the way you want to be treated if you are captured. If an American captive discloses any information other than name, rank, identification number, and date of birth he or she can be prosecuted when returned. Disclosing any operational information is collaborating with the enemy.
When we demand (and even force) captives to disclose information we are only displaying our hypocrisy. We have charged German and Japanese war criminals for doing what we now do ourselves.
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Patriotism is supporting your country all the time,
and your government when it deserves it. –Mark Twain
