The Deterrence Argument. It's a lousy one.

[cali]

I want the torturers prosecuted. I want them convicted, but I don't believe for a second that that will stop future administrations.

Did Nuremberg deter anything? I'd argue that it's clear it did not. It didn't stop war crimes. It didn't stop genocide and it didn't prevent numerous nations from NOT trying their own torturers. France, for instance, engaged in heinous torture post Nuremberg. They granted amnesty to the torturers, not once but twice.

My argument doesn't rest on mythical deterrence, but on punishment. If no one is above the law, those who engaged in, justified and authorized torture, up to and including bush, should be prosecuted.

[Solly Mack]

1. Yep

[Warpy]

2. It's necessary if we want our reputation back

and for decades it was a good reputation. Enemy soldiers knew one thing if they were captured by Americans: they would not be tortured.

It will take the world a very long time to trust us again in any case, but the absolutely vital first step has to be to punish the men who broke our laws by abrogating the Geneva Conventions.

It should start at the top and then work down, not the reverse. Enlisted people have already been scapegoated. The real perpetrators need to be dragged in to face justice.

[cali]

4. yes, that's a good reason.

though I'd certainly argue that it wasn't by any means a univerally good reputation. It certainly wasn't good in many SA countries. And we undeniably assisted in torture there.

It's kind of a myth that prior to bush the world had this great trust in the U.S. It's ignoring Reagan and Bush I.

[stillcool]

3. They can drag out prosecutions..

of the worker bees for years, and put on a really great show. Germany lost the war, which is the only reason why they were held accountable..and of course those that really profited from the war took the money and ran.

[cali]

5. yep.

and of course, as you note, many in Germany weren't held accountable. It's amyth that all the guilty parties were prosecuted at Nuremberg.

[spanone]

6. i wonder where our 'moral leaders' are on this subject? not a peep.

[depakid]

7. "Did Nuremberg deter anything?"

Apparently you've never submitted anything to an IRB.