Top takeaways from the CIA torture report By Jeremy Diamond
The Senate Intelligence Committee released their 525 page summary that assessed the CIA's use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" in the post-9/11 era. One of the reports biggest conclusions found that the CIA's "enhanced interrogation" included torture. The CIA claimed in its defense that the coercive interrogations "saved lives", but the Senate committee refutes this claim in its report. The committee also found that the enhanced interrogation did not accurately obtain information. There was false confessions obtained during these interrogations that lead the CIA to pursue dead ends. The report went on to disclaim 20 examples that the CIA used to defend their enhanced interrogation program. Some other conclusions of the report included that torture did not help the CIA find Osama bin Laden, there has been a death of a detainee after being chained naked to a concrete floor, the CIA misled the White House, Congress, and other agencies, and two government psychologists started a company that brought in $81 million on interrogations.
The Senate Intelligence Committee's report will have drastic impacts on how the CIA will conduct its interrogations in the future. Also the report covered multiple issues, so there will be reform in many areas of the CIA. I think that it is good that the information is coming out and the CIA is being held responsible. I am surprised it took this long for the report to come about, and I am interested in what action Congress or the committee will do from this point on.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Animal Cruelty
Death and the goddess: The world's biggest ritual slaughter By Manesh Shrestha
Officials estimate that that up to 10,00 buffalo calves and 150,000 goats will be offered to Gadhimai, the goddess of power, during the annual superficial ritual in Nepal. The thousands of people killing animals athe temple of Gadhimai for this ritual is the biggest religious mass slaughter in the world. The projected numbers this year are lower than those in 2009, due to the efforts by animal rights activists. In that year there were 20,000 buffalo calves killed and 200,000 goats were slaughtered. The participants are licensed by the Gadhimai Festival Management, even though many activists have gone to the courts in Nepal to halt the sacrifices. Due to the large amount of animal sacrifice during the ritual, many of the animals used are "illegally" transported to Nepal for the ritual. Activists have tried to halt the illegal transportation of animals as well as change the attitudes of participants and end the animal cruelty.
If the activists are successful in changing the attitudes of those who participate in the sacrifice there will be a surplus of animals to Nepal's economy due to the lack of ritual sacrifice. If the activists are successful in banning ritual sacrifice in this area without the support of the locals, there could be backlash and riots among the festival goers. I think that it is wrong that they are killing thousands of animals, and I agree with the activists in that they are trying to change the mindset of those participating and discouraging animal cruelty. Also, it doesn't make sense for people to ship in animals just so they can kill them for the ritual.
Officials estimate that that up to 10,00 buffalo calves and 150,000 goats will be offered to Gadhimai, the goddess of power, during the annual superficial ritual in Nepal. The thousands of people killing animals athe temple of Gadhimai for this ritual is the biggest religious mass slaughter in the world. The projected numbers this year are lower than those in 2009, due to the efforts by animal rights activists. In that year there were 20,000 buffalo calves killed and 200,000 goats were slaughtered. The participants are licensed by the Gadhimai Festival Management, even though many activists have gone to the courts in Nepal to halt the sacrifices. Due to the large amount of animal sacrifice during the ritual, many of the animals used are "illegally" transported to Nepal for the ritual. Activists have tried to halt the illegal transportation of animals as well as change the attitudes of participants and end the animal cruelty.
If the activists are successful in changing the attitudes of those who participate in the sacrifice there will be a surplus of animals to Nepal's economy due to the lack of ritual sacrifice. If the activists are successful in banning ritual sacrifice in this area without the support of the locals, there could be backlash and riots among the festival goers. I think that it is wrong that they are killing thousands of animals, and I agree with the activists in that they are trying to change the mindset of those participating and discouraging animal cruelty. Also, it doesn't make sense for people to ship in animals just so they can kill them for the ritual.
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