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“The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.” —Marcus Tullius Cicero
Lieutenant Stephen Decatur and the USS Philadelphia. But I digress.
desperation and an utter lack of viable choices can and has, historically, led to some of the biggest triumphs the world has ever seen. History has taught us, again and again, that there is no regime too big to topple, no country too small or weak to make a real difference.”
Interrogation tactic—relate to them on their level.
Waterboarding simulates the effects of drowning. The porous surface—in this case, a towel—becomes saturated and impermeable.
The captive cannot breathe; water fills their passageways. The average adult male can hold their breath for less than a minute. After a few minutes, hypoxia will set in—lack of oxygen to the brain—and the captive will pass out. Of course, you want to try to stay within that threshold. Potential side effects are damage to lungs. Brain damage. Extreme pain. Long-term psychological consequences. And, sometimes, death.
We’re doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past unless we learn from them.
