Knowledge at Work
America is one of the most economically advanced countries. It is as said the democratic ideal that all countries strive to achieve; freedom to live and let live being her foundation. However this article is based on another side of the USA that gets hidden by the talks of personal liberty of speech and action, privacy and individuality.
The article is a news report based on the horrific behavior of CIA agents against caught terrorists. This is in complete hypocrisy to what the US law propagates of equality under the eyes of the law. The article expands on further on the incident it begins with where a CIA agent uses an electric drill and a gun to force information out of him. It then goes ahead to highlight different reactions in the Federal bureau upon hearing about this ruthlessness the police system. Various knowledge issues combine in the creation of this article. Although detached in its tone, several allusions betray a sense of disappointment yet at the same time the need to conceal the worst of the USA government. The most important of the knowledge issue I think the writer of the article highlight the fear that had been left after the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade centre. The ruthlessness of CIA was started by the name of an interrogation program that was begun by the Bush administration. The fear of another plausible attack on the USA has made the interrogators to not only be cruel but also inhumane. Another important knowledge issue is the way in which this brutality has been tried to be kept under the mat. The way in which the writer talks about reports yet specifies the fact that they have not been released proves to show how under the full knowing of “just law” such cruelty is exists.
The writer also makes a claim to know the insights into the depth of the incident. However the writer himself does not know any specifics to this report. All it knows is the existence of a report thus how can this claim justified with proof? It is however not a bias claim as it is factual and it does criticize those CIA interrogators on such “endorsed behaviour. The foundation of the facts is a little shaky as it is based on unrevealed reports. The report also lacks in any emotion. It is true that since it is an article one’s own perception should be left behind but as a reader I want to know why these interrogators are not punished for such behaviour. For all its worth, being an Indian I am always being looked at as a terrorist because of the colour of my skin, I could easily be trapped in a situation and be abused without charge. This phenomenon is seen in the movie Khuddha Kai Liye where consistent torture broke the protagonist in such a way that he wanted to become a terrorist. So the writer should have extrapolated on the injustice of this. As the media they have the right to question and via doing so put pressure on their government to take action. The writer is also taking for granted the fact that the US government is doing something about the issue. The fact that the issue is so hushed up shows that there is much more to the incident than what has been leaked out. Other than this the writer has, with whatever information available, managed to convey partially managed to convey the truth behind the CIA headquarters.
Even if there is a lack of sources regarding the incident that had taken place, the knowledge issue does serve to remind us about how even in a democratic country like America, one cannot be safe. Innocent until proven guilty is a famous proverb that applies in every context. Here however innocence does not matter. The fear of having another attack like 9-11 has made the interrogators ruthless. Their emotions have taken oven their reason. Such illogical behaviour can affect the lives of anyone of us. We see us Indians getting checked at USA airports exhaustively on the terms of a “random search”. If it is random then why are there only black and brown skinned people in the special security check line. Also it affects us in the sense the hatred that has spread in the minds of some Americans has become so dominant that their allegations of being a terrorist are baseless. Innocent people can be tortured so badly that admit into being a terrorist. This misfortune can be destiny of my family, friends or even me!
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You stated that these accusations towards the CIA have not been supported by evidence.
ReplyDelete"However the writer himself does not know any specifics to this report. All it knows is the existence of a report thus how can this claim be justified with proof?"
But in the article there are quotes from the CIA itself clearly admitting that there have been occasions in the past where they have been accused to harassing the prisoners. For that agents have been warned and fired.
I have said the "specifcs of the report". The article clearly states that the report has, as yet, not been released thus the writer has no official evidence or additional information into what really happened with the drill and the gun. For all the writer and we know, the terrorist may have actually been shot at and tortured with the drill.
ReplyDeleteIn the democratic country like USA also no body can be safe. 9/11 was a wake up call to all countries, and they cant afford to take the risk of letting a suspected terrorist go because he wont talk. I agree that physical torture is not the answer, but i think to an extent a threat can go a long way. The police in India ignored people who came running before 26/11 saying that some strange people had come into town, atleast the Americans aren't doing that. If you are suspected due to some documentation then there should be a plausible explanation.
ReplyDeleteyes Indian's expecially Muslims are checked with more precaution becasue one can never be too safe right, if it was the time of the world war and you were a jew, and a German was entering a country u lived in with a big nazi arm band wouldn't you fear him. Though this isn't a genocide, some muslims do have a vengeance for Americans, and seeing the events of this day one can never be too safe right?
In my opinion you have taken this article too personally and therefore your reason has taken over your emotions, this I feel is because you have diverted from the topic of "torturing the terrorist is ethical or not in order to extract information" to "Racism".
ReplyDeleteWell i may well be wrong, but could you please clarify your stand to the topic...just too clear my doubt.
Shivani I think you are right. But there is a difference in America and India. In India, the police system just does not bother. The police system in the USA at the moment has gotten so bothered that as he walks down the street, there will be 50 people who he will percieve to be a terrorist. His emotions have led him to become suspicious. This may be a generalisation of sorts but in many ways it holds true. Recounting a personal experience I remember at the US airport I was always in the "special checking " queue. Is it fair for people who have done no wrong, who are not wearing a sign like a 'big red swastika'and who just look dark to be percieved as terrorists. If you look at it closely, you shall see that it is plain recism.
ReplyDelete*racism
ReplyDeleteRahil, you NEED to take things personally. No longer are you a mere subject to all that's taking place around you. You need to react and react fast. Whats the point of all this studying and linking WOK and AOK to TOK?? You need to start thinking, what is it that I can do to change things? How would MY thinking change something around the world?
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