The Torture Debate in America [Paperback]

This book provides essays on the debate over the US government's use of torture.The Torture Debate in America presents the arguments on torture that have been put forth by American lawmakers, human rights activists, and others. It raises the moral, legal and historical questions that have led the US into today's considerations on the use of torture.The Torture Debate in America presents the arguments on torture that have been put forth by American lawmakers, human rights activists, and others. It raises the moral, legal and historical questions that have led the US into today's considerations on the use of torture.Widely acclaimed as a publishing milestone, The Torture Papers (Cambridge, 2005) constitutes the definitive book of public record detailing the Bush Administration's policies on torture and political prisoners. In the process of assembling the documents, memoranda, and reports that comprise the material in The Torture Papers, a vital question arose: What was the rationale behind the Bush Administration's decision to condone the use of coercive techniques in the interrogation of detainees suspected of terrorist connections? The use of these techniques at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo has sparked an intense debate in America. The Torture Debate in America captures the arguments on torture that have been put forth by legislators, human rights activists, and others. It raises the key moral, legal, and historical questions that have led to current considerations on the use of torture. Divided into three sections, the contributions cover all sides of the debate, from absolute prohibition of torture to its use as a viable option in the War on Terror.Introduction: the rule of law finds its Golem: judicial torture then and now Karen Greenberg; Part I. Democracy, Terror, and Torture: 1. Tortured liberalism David Luban; 2. How to interrogate terrorists Heather MacDonald; 3. Torture: thinking about the unthinkable Andrew McCarthy; 4. The curious debate Joshua Drls'