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Argumentative Essay: The Use Of Torture In The Modern World

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Argumentative Essay: The Use Of Torture In The Modern World
The topic of torture in today’s modern world is certainly a delicate one. The affliction of torture is one that will not vanish over time, for it has been used since the beginning of recorded history and continues to be used today. From the desert sands of the Middle East and the jungles of Africa, to the bitter cold of Siberia, torture to this day is utilized against the peoples of its lands for political purposes, crime and punishment, even revenge and savage murder. There has never been a time in history where the world was without torture. It has been supported by many ancient cultures and has been recently confirmed that the United States utilized torture methods such as “Waterboarding” against suspected terrorists in the global war on …show more content…
This theory stated if a nation had reliable intelligence of a bomb that they may use any means possible in locating and defusing the device. The only country in modern times to have openly allowed “moderate physical pressure” as a “last resort” can be seen in Israel. It was argued Israeli interrogators used such methods anyway, but passing an explicit law would at least make it possible to set out some limits. Citing the slippery-slope argument, Israel's Supreme Court ruled that torture could never be justified, even in the case of a ticking bomb. It went on to outlaw techniques such as sleep deprivation, exposure to extremes of hot and cold, prolonged stress positions, hooding and violent shaking ("Is Torture Ever Justified?"). Human beings have a right to self-defense, which is why I believe in the “ticking bomb theory.” Given the scenario in the 2010 film Unthinkable, three nuclear bombs have been placed in three undisclosed US cities by a former special operations explosive ordinance technician, played by Michael Sheen, who also happens to be Muslim. Throughout the film a special interrogator, played by Samuel L. Jackson, utilizes various torture techniques to locate the three bombs. Jackson finally utilizes the “unthinkable” fear of torturing the children of Sheen into giving up the location of the bombs. The ticking bomb argument shows that torture is morally permissible in particular

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