Tuesday, March 27, 2007

For what it's worth ...

I agree with this comboxer at Lie Central that the Iranians probably won't torture the British sailors. Not because they're above it, but because it simply wouldn't serve their interests. The Iranians can get everything they want from the mere fact of detaining them. No need to complicate things.

If memory serves, the Iranians didn't torture the US Embassy hostages, unless kidnapping itself and/or interrogation itself constitute torture (and they do not). I can say for certain that when one of the US hostages had a life-threatening ailment (Queen was his name, I think ... too lazy too look it up), Ayatollah Khomeini personally ordered him released because the Iranians didn't want even to have to explain a death on their hands.

That said ... anyone who thinks there is any country that would have been willing and able to pressure the Iranians to turn over the British sailors will now not do so over Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, rendition, etc., is simply a fantasist. Most of the regimes in questions do these things themselves, so they cannot have serious moral objection to the practices itself. Meaning that whatever outrage they claim or public statements they make is really other-motivated (whether that other motivation be good or bad). Citation of these things, particularly by NGOs or inidividuals, is quite possible, but don't mistake an excuse for a reason.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Actually I think you are wrong. JohnA has a quote on Mark's post from a British marine who was similarly detained by the Iranians in 2004. Mock executions were performed at that time. This marine also noted that he believed such was being done to the current batch of fifteen.

Mark has graciously admitted that mock exectutions are torture. Unfortunately the "outrage" that he promised would follow if it was shown that torture was going on has been quite flat. Even went so far as to ban JohnA for the sin of pointing out the far from genuine response.

It seems Mark is only concerned with torture when it is allegedly being performed by Americans. Can we add hypocrisy to lies?

Anonymous said...

I love this blog. Here's a suggestion for an alternative name (nickname maybe). CSCAEI Common Sense Catholic And Enjoying It. Probably cause too much trouble though.