When Donald Trump, as the Republican frontrunner, started sharing his attitudes towards various political and economic strategies in the country, American society was considerably reshaped. Some people found it effective to support the politician in order to protect the nation and promote its global prosperity. There are also individuals who oppose the chosen position due to its radical nature and unpredictable outcomes. Waterboarding urgency turns out to be one of such debatable issues, with a variety of opinions to be present.
Trump Position
Donald Trump was a well-known political figure even before he became the 45th President of the United States. His positions on health care, education, foreign policies, and immigration were sharp and rather provocative. Trump aimed at protecting Americans by reducing the presence of immigrants in the country, as well as the outside impact of international relationships. Millions of people were eager to support him, and his idea to revive waterboarding as an obligatory norm in preventing terrorism was frequently discussed. Trump used people’s memories about the 9/11 attacks and the Muslims’ celebrations on rooftops in New Jersey (Jacobs, 2015).
Despite the fact that the Bush administration found it ineffective and illegal after being applied to an al-Qaida suspect, Trump demonstrated his evident interest in using this interrogation method (Jacobs, 2015). Even if it is impossible to obtain information or achieve the initial goals, such torture is what terrorists deserve.
Pros of Waterboarding
Although politicians consider waterboarding as an aggressive form of interrogation, one should remember that ordinary people might also apply this tactic. According to Balfe (2019), after the 9/11 attacks and the implementation of waterboarding to torture suspects, some individuals found it interesting to challenge themselves using the same method. Amateur waterboarding turned out to be a common activity among young, mostly white, men to check their limits (Balfe, 2019).
Therefore, it is correct to say that this technique is mild, with no scars or severe health risks being observed. In addition, as Trump said, waterboarding is a good method to gather information from the enemy and predict national or international threats. Finally, if this so-called torture could save lives during the war or in another military event without taking a life, many people should find it allowable. Trump used personal motifs and rather aggressive tactics to justify waterboarding, but his position had a right to exist.
Cons of Waterboarding
At the same time, a number of negative attitudes and facts cannot be ignored in the current discussion. Despite the possibility to measure health risks, waterboarding remains a significant intervention in human life. If it is applied for military or political purposes, it could be somehow justified and approved. However, as soon as it was allowed, it would be hard to control civilians. For example, Cox (2018) mentioned a shocking situation when parents used waterboarding as a form of punishment for their 12-year-old daughter in 2017.
Perhaps, such an event could be avoided in case families knew or heard nothing about such possibilities. A simulation of the risk of drowning is dangerous, either physiologically or psychologically. Human emotions are unpredictable, and the decision to renew waterboarding has multiple consequences.
Conclusion
The discussion about waterboarding promoted by Trump several years ago has its impact on modern society. While some groups of people understand the appropriateness of this interrogation technique for military or terrorist-preventing purposes, waterboarding becomes a dangerous activity for the world. If politicians find it necessary to use it, they should not tell about their intentions out loud. Their responsibility is keeping peace, comfort, and safety for citizens instead of demonstrating their ambitions and aggressive intentions.
References
Balfe, M. (2019). Survival strategies while engaging in deviant behaviors: The case of amateur waterboarding torture. Deviant Behavior. Web.
Cox, R. (2018). Historicizing waterboarding as a severe torture norm. International Relations, 32(4), 488-512.
Jacobs, B. (2015). Donald Trump on waterboarding: ‘Even if it doesn’t work they deserve it’. The Guardian. Web.