A very important question left out of all polls about torture

[Chuckleberry]

In the last few days, The Washington Post, Gallup, etc., have conducted polls on the issue of torture.

They have asked respondents if they think the practice is justified, and whether they want a probe; and what kind of probe.

But all of these pollsters leave out the question that is perhaps the most important that could be asked:

"Are you familiar with the Convention Against Torture?"

How many people in this nation are ignorant of this key fact?

How likely is that ignorant group to rationalize torture compared to those who do know about our legal obligations under that treaty? My hypothesis is that there would be a huge difference in the kinds of responses given by those two groups.

Until pollsters ask this question, they will be playing dumb, pretending that torture can be justified in some instances; because it is NOT justified under any circumstances, as stated in the CAT, a treaty that we swore to abide by, by signing it.

[ieoeja]

1. So you're saying the key reason to be against torture is because it is illegal?

Then all we have to do is rewrite CAT. We can then torture to our heart's content.

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. We cannot rewrite CAT unless all other signatories agree to the rewrite -

it is an international treaty, and is the law of the land, according to the constitution.

Upon signing it we already acknowledged there is no justification for it. Efficacy be damned, it IS illegal.

[ieoeja]

4. Simpler yet. Send notification that we are withdrawing from said treaty.

We can then torture to our heart's content.

[grantcart]

2. Actually this is the question I would like asked

Since you have answered that you do not think waterboarding or other 'enhanced interrogation' techniques are legal are you

a) completely at ease having other governments using those techniques against our own soldiers?

and

b) aware that because of the problem of reciprocrocity of treatment of POWs that the entire military is universally against the adoption of these techniques?

[endarkenment]

5. Off hand my guess is around 70% ignorant. nt.