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Sarah Davila
Professor Bruce
English 301
November 18, 2015
MLA Format
Drowning on Land: Waterboarding

What most know today as waterboarding is what others in the past recognized as the
ducking stool and the water cure [method] (Graham & Connolly, 69). The practice of torture
that simulates drowning, dates back to the seventeenth century and in many of the procedures,
water was used to bring a person to the brink of drowning by holding them under water or by
forcing water into their nose and mouth to prevent them from breathing (Graham & Connolly,
69). Examples of times when the United States and other countries have used waterboarding on
persons of interest were in The Spanish Inquisition, The Philippine-American War, World War II,
and after the September 11th attacks. However, because of the creation of the four new Geneva
Conventions in 1949, any torture after World War II would be an infringement of the treaty. So,
although waterboarding is used to gain combative knowledge to safe guard the U.S.,
waterboarding should stay banned because of its immoral, hypocritical, and torturous nature.
Waterboarding is a long-standing method of torture that has been commonly used for the
purpose of obtaining information from a harmful adversary. The victim of such a practice has
their head back with their mouth and nostrils covered with a cloth, making it difficult to breathe
and then the torturer pours continuous water over the mouth; such a performance simulates the
same agony and panic as one who is drowning. Waterboarding is an ardent subject between
Americans today. Individuals that support the practice say that waterboarding is a necessary evil

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during times of war, but people, who are opposed, including myself, agree with the World War
II- era posters that described the practice as a method of the enemy (Rejali 2007 quoted in
Rosso 385). Americans have watched and some have lived through, the horrors of violent and
perverse attacks done to individuals. Resistance against such a practice as waterboarding is ruled
by the notion that Americans in the United States want to be honorable and stand apart from the
illiberal regimes. If Americans, let alone
our own government act similarly to
terrorist groups or wicked governments,
what would that say about our country?
Government officials are an example to
those they represent and interact with
internationally. If authorities themselves
Figure 1 Diagram of waterboarding from
news.nationalpost.com

do not respect the lives and dignity of

human beings, nothing holds back citizens from disregarding human life as well.
The Geneva Convention is a list of dos and donts that protects armed forces on land
and at sea, prisoners of war, and civiliansduring conflict to protect vulnerable and defenseless
individuals (Geneva Convention). These guidelines agreed upon virtually by almost all
countries in the world apply to waterboarding observably. There is a set line of morality in all
things and in reference to the Geneva Convention Treaty,
the human dignity of all individuals must be respected at all times.
Everything possible must be done, without any kind of
discrimination, to reduce the suffering of people who have been
put out of action by sickness, wounds or captivity whether or not
they have taken direct part in the conflict (Geneva Convention).

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History is filled with individuals using extreme and harsh methods in time of fear and war, but
after World War II methods of torture were declared unhealthy for civilization. As it relates to the
United States and their usage of torture however, there had been a shift in legality of
waterboarding or any usage of torture after September 11, 2001; it was decided to be legal to use
such methods by the CIA for suspected terrorists (Graham & Connolly, 71). Torture according to
the Lieutenant General in the U.S. Army, James Terry, was defined at the Convention Against
Torture as purposefully causing either physical or mental severe pain to get information or a
confession, possibly punishing a person for an act, or intimidation done by a public official (605606). The integrity of a country affects the relationships it develops with other countries and its
citizens, therefore waterboarding should stay prohibited in the United States in order to have
prosperity and to maintain honor.
Realistically, not everyone in the world will adhere to the rules of war and there are
groups that view our soldiers as less than human (Wynia 11). One can compare such rebellious
groups to the Nazis in the Second World War, where they believe[d] they [were] fighting a
decisive battle between two ideologies and an entirely new kind of war in which different
standards must be used (Wynia 11). Supporters of waterboarding feel the need to use such a
practice because they want to obtain critical information as soon as possible to save lives,
especially in times of war. Enemies of the United States can be wholeheartedly evil, just look at
the 9-11 attacks or the recent Paris attacks that took place November 13th. Gaining information
by use of Waterboarding appears justified due to the enemies lack of humanity, shame or regret.
If there was a need to save lives and get the upper hand by obtaining information for planned
future attacks, why would a country not take advantage of that opportunity? According to Kevin
M. Carlsmith and Avani Mehta Sood, supporters of waterboarding use the utilitarian defense,

Figure 2. September 11th attacks. Photo from

http://www.history.com

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stating that the risks outweigh the costs
(191).
The strongest argument supporters of
waterboarding state is that the information obtained through the use of torture can save lives,
however observers should call to question whether information given under duress is
trustworthy. Matthew K. Wynia says that
in an examination of 625 instances of torture in France between
1500 and 1750, between 67 percent and 95 percent of victims
never confessed, even on the rack, under repeated drowning,
crushing of joints, and the like. When the victims of torture do
talk, they oftenand perhaps intentionallyprovide unreliable
as well as true information. In fact, there is very little evidence that
torture is effective as an interrogation technique, and some
evidence that it can backfire dramatically (11).
Held as captives and tortured for hours or days at a time is excruciating and exhausting on the
body and soul, so it makes sense that a person under these circumstances would say anything
their captors want in order to get the pain to stop. Another matter to think about is the stability of
a prisoners faithfulness to a cause or organization. Many view U.S. Americans as the enemy and
are raised believing that the United States is the ultimate evil that must be defeated. To carry out
their mission that is driven by their beliefs, prisoners under torture are willing to die for their
cause before ever disclosing valuable information. What is the point of using torture to
supposedly gain knowledge, if it has been proven to me unreliable and the practice ruins the
reputation of the United States?
Supporters of waterboarding request an alternative to waterboarding, if it is disqualified
as an interrogation tactic; wondering how else the CIA would gather intelligence from difficult
detainees. The answer is simple, by using the United States contacts around the world; nations

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can work together and share valuable information to prevent terrorist attacks. An example of a
situation where such a solution came into practice was in 2001 after the 9-11 attacks. Khalid
Shaykh Muhammad was the mastermind behind the attacks that took place that day. According
to Terry, Muhammad had plans to hijack a plane and fly it into the tallest building in Los Angeles
by using unsuspected Southeast Asian men instead of suspected Arab hijackers (597). These
plans were thwarted appreciatively in 2002, due to
a Southeast Asian nation arrest[ing] a key al Qaeda operative.
Subsequent debriefings and other intelligence operations made
clear the intended target, and how Al Qaeda hoped to execute it.
This critical intelligence helped other allies capture the ringleaders
and other known operatives who had been recruited for this plot
(Terry 597-598).
This act of team work to save a country from a terrorist attack is the improved way of gaining
intelligence to save lives.
Waterboarding

is

an

unnecessary torture that

can be avoided if the
United States would take
the

time

to

find

reasonable ways around

Figure 3 A political cartoon on torture.
wwwwethepeopleusgovernment.blogspot.com

using torturous practices

Our country is governed by a Constitution that protects against cruel or unusual

punishment as cited in our eighth amendment. Therefore, why is it that there were government
officials who turned a blind eye when waterboarding was being administered to foreign and
domestic detainees? The practice is degrading to human life and cruel and unusual because of its

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replication of drowning, causing the victim to fear for imminent death. Waterboarding for
centuries has been a popular practice of forcing out confessions whether dependable or not, and
the consequences of such wickedness affects the victim and commissioner. The commissioner in
this case is the United States, and the effects of such a practice is losing honor. If we are to be a
country that fights against evil how would that be possible if our own moral compass is off?
Jesse Ventura, who is a Vietnam veteran and who was the 38th Governor of Minnesota, says, if
waterboarding is okay, then why don't we let our police do it to criminals so they can find out
what they know? Because it's against the law. If we're not going to be a country that stand's for
the rule of law, when it's convenient or inconvenient, then what DO we stand for. (Quotes about
Waterboarding). Waterboarding should not be, by any means, practiced or become legal because
of its disruption to Americas fundamental principles.
Waterboarding has been used to gain a combative upper hand over our enemies in order
to protect the United States. However, the knowledge gathered from the practice has been
unreliable and waterboarding itself is illegal and morally wrong. For centuries it has been known
as the water cure or the ducking stool (Graham & Connolly 69) and historically it has been
used during war time. But the practice simulates the same panic, pain, and fear of someone who
is drowning and if we are to be a country with integrity then we should stand for the morally
right and not allow waterboarding to be done to prisoners.

References
Carlsmith, Kevin M, and Avani Mehta Sood. "The Fine Line Between Interrogation and

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Retribution." Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 45.1 (2009): 191-196.
Geneva Convention (Geneva Convention)
http://www.ppu.org.uk/learn/texts/doc_geneva_con.html
Graham, Lindsey O, and Paul R Connolly. "Waterboarding: Issues and Lessons for Judge
Advocates." Air Force Law Review, 69 (2013): 65.
Quotes About Waterboarding ((6 quotes)) http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/waterboarding
Rejali, Darius. 2007. Torture and Democracy. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Rosso, J. Del. "The Toxicity of Torture: The Cultural Structure of US Political Discourse of
Waterboarding." Social Forces (2014): 383-404. Print.
Terry, James. "Torture and the Interrogation of Detainees." Campbell Law Review 32 (2010):
595-617. Print.
Wynia, Matthew K. "Laying the Groundwork for a Defense Against Participation in Torture?."
Hastings Center Report, 38.1 (2008): 11-13.