Torture, or Tortured Language?

By Randall Hoven

One of President Obama's first actions in office was to issue an Executive Order "Ensuring Lawful Interrogations" of enemy combatants. That order stated that "torture" means "humiliating and degrading treatment."

"‘Convention Against Torture' means the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment... individuals detained in any armed conflict... shall in all circumstances be treated humanely and shall not be subjected to ... outrages upon personal dignity (including humiliating and degrading treatment)." [My emphasis.]

If you have trouble understanding just what is humiliating and degrading, you can see pictures here. WARNING: the linked web site contains graphic depictions of humiliation and degradation.

In the mean time, enemy combatants not detained by US forces have different ideas of how to treat their own detainees.