The Correct Way to Torture Enemy Combatants

In 2006, issues with the Iraq war and the war on terror led directly to the demise of conservatism and the rise of liberalism. The progressive media was able to indoctrinate the public with horror stories about the war on terror. They reported daily death tolls and casualties. They reported innocent civilian death tolls. And they reported on the so called atrocities taking place at Guantanamo Bay. In the end, 3 enemy combatants were subjected to enhanced interrogation techniques, which incidentally saved American lives because it thwarted potential attacks. Subsequently, the enhanced interrogation techniques used by the CIA were scrutinized by the media and then by the Obama administration. The Department of Justice opened an investigation into the matter and later cleared anyone of any wrongdoing. Still, many liberals and the media insist that these techniques were torture and they should not have been used. They argue that America is a democratic nation with laws, and those laws should apply to anyone including enemy combatants. Conservatives argue that enemy combatants are terrorists and therefore; they are not entitled to civilian rights. Enemy combatants are not uniform soldiers and therefore are not protected by the Geneva Convention guidelines for prisoners of war.

In any event, the debate over enhanced interrogation techniques is one that polarizes the right and left. Maybe, American intelligence agencies could learn a great deal about how to “torture” enemy combatants by mimicking Israeli intelligence agency techniques. In many cases Israeli intelligence officers do not use any enhanced interrogation techniques on their enemy combatants. Instead, they have enemy combatants inadvertently “torture” each other.

Mosab Hassan Yousef was born the son of one of the founders of Hamas. Hamas is a terrorist organization and today, it is one of the leading threats against Israel. Yousef grew up despising Israelis and wanted to perform acts of terror against them. Yousef was captured by Israeli forces and he refused to offer their intelligence agencies any information. He was sent to one of the Israeli prison camps for enemy combatants. Upon arriving at the prison camp, Yousef was asked to “declare his affiliation”. Yousef had to pick which terrorist group he belonged to – Hamas, Fatah, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), and so forth. Thus, Yousef was placed in a holding area that was populated with fellow Hamas enemy combatants.

While in prison Yousef learned a lot about Islam, Hamas, and himself. He saw how the strong Hamas enemy combatants imposed their will on the weak. Yousef began to question how any true Muslim and Hamas believer could routinely commit acts of violence against their comrades. Thus, Yousef began to educate himself about Christianity and he eventually converted. When he got out of prison he became a very productive informant for the Israeli intelligence agency. Yousef was attributed with saving hundreds of lives by leaking valuable information that Israeli intelligence used to capture terrorists and thwart dozens of attacks. Yousef now lives in the United States and wrote a book about his story: “Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue and Unthinkable Choices”.

If our intelligence agencies need an effective strategy to make enemy combatants see the error of their ways – have them turn on each other. Progressives will continue to say this is inhumane treatment, but let’s face facts; survival of the fittest is how life is currently conducted in the U.S. prison system.

My Book: Is America Dying? (Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble)