...Until recently, "waterboarding" was something that Americans did to other Americans. It was inflicted, and endured, by those members of the Special Forces who underwent the advanced form of training known as sere (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape). In these harsh exercises, brave men and women were introduced to the sorts of barbarism that they might expect to meet at the hands of a lawless foe who disregarded the Geneva Conventions. But it was something that Americans were being trained to resist, not to inflict....
With this, Christopher Hitchens begins an article in Vanity Fair on his own experience being waterboarded.
Hat Tip: Virgil Samms
UPDATE: It's on this video. Enjoy. Or cringe. As the case may be.
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Waterboarding. This is the topic for debate in our modern world. We go on and on about progress in civilization, yet we're talking about torture. Here are three recent views on the subject: This Modern World, The Onion, and Doonesbury. It's the torture satire trifecta.
I am in utter awe of the brilliant reframing of 'waterboarding' by the Kenosha Kid:
Waterboarding = Partial Drowning Interrogation
Fucking brilliant.
Someone was willing to try waterboarding on himself — he was in complete control, but he still found it a terrifying experience.
What's the big deal about putting a few bad guys into "stressful" positions (assuming you know for sure they really are bad guys)? You call that torture?