September 21, 2006

Carrots, Sticks, and a Terrorist Entitlement Program

I do not support torturing any prisoners in the custody of the U.S. But I also do not support giving those who have violated the Geneva Conventions the protections of those Conventions. To do so undermines the rule of law and, in fact, works against our interest in seeing that those Conventions are followed.

My latest piece at Townhall, Carrots and Sticks: The Geneva Conventions are not an Entitlement:

The idea behind the Conventions is that if you agree to abide by their rules, your captured combatants will be treated humanely. Human treatment is an inducement to follow the rules of war.

That is called a carrot.

But there is also a negative inducement. If you do not agree to abide by their rules, your captured combatants will not be treated humanely. At least, there is no legal guarantee that they will. The prospect that you will have no legal protections against pain and suffering if you get captured is an inducement to follow the rules of war.

That is called a stick.....

What the Democrats and some Republicans are offering to terrorists is no inducement at all to follow the rules of war.

They are, in fact, creating an entitlement for terrorists.

Read the rest. You'll be glad you did.

UPDATE: Does torture sometimes work? Apparently so.


By Dr. Rusty Shackleford at September 21, 2006 09:48 AM | | l digg this