Recently, the Republican presidential candidates discussed the issue of waterboarding in a debate and it left me wondering what my stance was on the issue.
Before the debate, I had never really given it much thought. With issues like abortion, gay marriage and the economy being thrown around the most, I found this topic to be…refreshing?
Merriam-Webster defines waterboarding as an interrogation technique in which water is forced into a detainee’s mouth and nose to induce the fear of drowning.
To me, that is exactly what it is, an interrogation technique. Granted, the method is harsh, I think the 2006 ban was a mistake. I know that many politicians, including President Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain R-Arizona, think waterboarding is torture, but I simply do not agree.
The use of waterboarding to extract information is not a new phenomenon and its mass attention leads me to believe that it is practiced in countries around the world to extract information. There are many groups around the world looking to harm innocent people, especially Americans.
A recent Gallup poll showed 81 percent of Americans do not trust the government. This is an astounding percentage of citizens who do not believe in a “government for the people, by the people.” As a citizen of the United States, I trust, and expect, my government to ensure that my fellow Americans and I are safe. If that means the use of waterboarding to secure national security, then I say, why not?