In this section’s readings about torture the thoughts of
David Sussman in his article What’s Wrong
with Torture? were of particular interest. Sussman states that “there is
something morally special about torture that distinguishes it from most other
kinds of violence, cruelty, or degrading treatment”(Sussman, pg 190). Sussman goes on to say that there is
something morally wrong because of the core concepts that constitute torture
are of a distinctive kind of wrong that is not characteristically found in other
forms of extreme violence or coercion. It is because of this special type of
wrong that may explain why we find torture to be more morally offensive than
other ways of inflicting great physical or psychological harm. I believe that
Sussman makes an excellent point because rather you support or oppose the use
of torture, we can all agree that there is something very unique about torture
that sets it apart from other acts of violence. Another point of interest that
Sussman makes is that there are no accidents in torture; for example a soldier
can shoot at a person with an attempt to hit their leg but accidently kill the
person instead. As Sussman states in torture one cannot say the same; for
instance one cannot say that they accidently torture a person.
One of the
things that makes torture so unique is partially because of the relationship
that the act causes between the person that causes the pain, and the person
that receives the pain. Sussman says that this relationship is “a profoundly
asymmetric relation of dependence and vulnerability between the parties. The victim
of torture must be unable to shield herself in any significant way, and she
must be unable to effectively evade or retaliate against her tormenter…the
torture victim must see herself as being unable to put up andy real moral or
legal resistance to her tormentor”(Sussman, pg 191, 192). The sense of helplessness
can be seen as a part of the torture process as one feels not only the physical
pain, but the pain of knowing that there is nothing that one can do to stop it.
In presenting ideas such as the unique relationship between the torturer and the
tormented, I believe that Sussman has made a persuasive enough argument that we
should openly accept that torture is not just another form of violence.
I too found Sussman's argument that torture was a unique from all other categories of violence interesting and true. The most interesting argument in my opinion that Sussman makes is how torture is always intentional. Since torture is always intentional as Sussman points out, the issue of how to deal with this unique form of violence emerges. In other forms of violence, there is some precedent on how to punish or enforce that proper justice is served, when harm is inflicted on another. But with torture, especially during times of war, sometimes the laws and prosecution of those who torture let up, and many are not prosecuted from improper uses of torture, when the ends no longer justify the means. While I believe that torture is justifiable in certain cases, I do not believe that those who stretch their justification for torture, as in the case of Abu Ghraib should be allowed to use loopholes in international law to defend themselves.
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