A controversial subject was brought to attention Wednesday night with an open forum promoting discussion about the United States' involvement in acts of torture.
Arranged by Caroline Koebel, assistant professor of media study, the Forum on Torture in the Center for the Arts was second in a series of events that will allow participants to discuss the legality and impact of torturous actions taken by the United States and other countries.
"Why is the U.S using torture if its own people don't think that it works?" asked Julia Hall, graduate of UB's School of Law and senior researcher for the Human Rights Watch. "People feel that we have to be tough, and what's tougher than probing someone with electricity or pulling their fingernails out?"
The session focused primarily on the United States policy known as "Extraordinary Rendition," or the process of sending suspected terrorists to other countries for torture or detention.
"Outlawed," a film pertaining to the Extraordinary Rendition program, was also presented during the forum. In it, Michael Scheuer, creator of the Extraordinary Rendition program under President Clinton, agreed that torture no longer works.
According to Scheuer, torture simply forces information from people that does not necessarily have any factual basis.
Some also argue that the process just deters terrorists from their duties, rather than obtain information after the incident.
"People captured in the United Kingdom don't want to be sent back to the United States for fear of torture," Hall said. "When... Condoleezza Rice says that the practice of rendition is legal, she's wrong."
Hall was referring to the original statement Rice made regarding the idea that the United States had never and would never support acts of torture upon any persons. Rice has since wondered herself why El-Masri was held in captivity for the amount of time that he was, according to Hall.
Two weeks prior to the forum, Hall reveals, President Bush openly admitted to knowing about secret detention centers in other countries and that "other forms of interrogation" did occur.
Even before the President's acknowledgement, other countries were using the U.S. as an example and justification of their own actions, Hall said.
According to Hall, the U.S. can no longer morally stand up and speak out against "terrorist countries" such as Syria, who uses torture as a form of obtaining information, due to the fact that the U.S. has openly acknowledged their own involvement.
"Most of the operations I'm talking about don't occur on U.S territory, which is another out for the United States," she said.
Neil Terry, a senior Media Studies major, came to the forum "in search of an analysis" and left with mixed thoughts.
"I'm still forming my opinion," he said. "But I like the fact that it was more heated than normal and it was very relevant. It raises a position on your area of interest."
Claude Welch, a SUNY Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science, followed Hall's presentation like one focusing on the Geneva Convention and the limits of international law.
"States do try to protect their interests rationally," Welch said.
He explained how human rights are not a priority in most countries, often compromised to better a country's national security and economic stability.
Welch acknowledged the European Union's "outward effort" to help improve human rights issues in Europe.
"The fact that the EU is saying to Turkey, 'You can only join the Union if you follow the Union's Human Rights Laws,' is a big step," he said.
According to Welch, the hypocrisy of the United States on torture has shifted its place among the international community.
"Moral authority has been lost by the United States, and it will take decades to regain. We can not buy it back," he said.
Forums on torture will be taking place every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in 112 CFA through November.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
