Use of Torture to Gain Intelligence Research Paper

Use of Torture to Gain Intelligence - Research Paper Example There are various reasons for torture. They include punishment, revenge, political re-education, deterrence, interrogation or coercion. Mostly the torture proves to be deliberately fatal, however, most of the time this is not the case and killing and injuring the victim is not the sole purpose. According to research, torture is not a very good way of obtaining information and actionable intelligence. This is because after a person received physical or psychological punishment, the mind breaks down as a result of which the information is subject to inaccuracies in memory recall. It was until the development of Humanism in the 17th century, deliberately painful methods of execution for severe crimes was taken as granted as part of justice. Torture was sanctioned by some states previously. In the 21st century, most of the countries have prohibited torture under the international and domestic laws. Under the UN convention and declaration of human rights, it is unacceptable and is conside red the violation of human rights. One of the most controversial aspects of the global ‘war on terror’ was the use of torture during interrogations. The United States of America administration for combating the threat of global terrorism developed several new methods. This happened after the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001. The detention and interrogation of the suspected terrorists have been the central to the United States struggle against global terrorism (Walton, 2008). According to the international laws of warfare, the same rules of lawful combatants were not applicable for detained terrorists since they were not fighting as lawful combatants. However, some policymakers of the US argued that the use of torture should be legalized to gain intelligence under certain extreme circumstances. During the Algerian war of Independence (1954-1962), the French armed forces along with the Algerian National Liberation Front (FNL) made use of torture.

Trial court brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Trial court brief - Essay Example This memorandum is submitted in opposition to that motion. QUESTION PRESENTED Under the Mandatory Financial Responsibility Act can a negligence claim be stated when a lessor who is self-insured fails to carry insurance. STATEMENT OF THE CASE Sage Rent-A-Car Inc. leased a vehicle to Jeffery Calvin. Mr. Calvin failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with Jane White. Sage did not bear insurance. Ms. White filed a negligent complaint against Sage Rent-A-Car Inc. for the negligent use of the lessor’s vehicle by the lessee. Sage filed a motion to dismiss the complaint under Rule 1-012B (6) for failure to state claim. ARGUMENT MS. WHITE’S ARGUMENT THAT SAGE HAS DUTY TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCIDENT IS A SET OF FACTS WHICH, IF PROVEN, WOULD ESTABLISH THE DEFENDANTS DUTY TO CARRY LICENSE AND, THEREFORE, A CLAIM CAN BE STATED AS TO DUTY. This matter is before the court on a Rule 1-012B (6) motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim. In the case Las Lumarias of the N.M. Council v. Isengard, 92 N.M. 297, 300-301 (1978), the New Mexico District Court established the standard for the granting of a 1-012B (6) motion. The court stated, â€Å"A motion to dismiss a complaint is properly granted only when it appears that the plaintiff cannot recover or be entitled to relief under any state of facts provable under the claim†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sage Rent-A-Car’s motion specifically alleges that a claim cannot be stated in this case with regard to duty. To survive this motion, Ms. White must demonstrate that there is a provable set of facts that would establish the duty of Sage Rent-A-Car Inc. to carry license in this case. The Mandatory Financial Responsibility Act establishes the prevention of a motor owner from permitting the operation of an uninsured motor vehicle. Section 66-5-205 sets out the duty of Sage Rent-A-Car Inc. It provides, â€Å"No owner shall permit the operation of an uninsured motor vehicle, or a motor vehicle for which evidence o f financial responsibility as was affirmed to the department is not currently valid, upon the streets or highways of New Mexico unless the vehicle is specifically exempted from the provisions of the Mandatory Financial Responsibility Act†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Section 66-5-218 sets out the procedure for acquiring evidence of financial responsibility: Evidence of financial responsibility, when required under the Mandatory Financial Responsibility Act, may be given by filing: A. evidence of a motor vehicle insurance policy; B. a surety bond as provided in Section 66-5-225 NMSA 1978; or C. A certificate of deposit of money as provided in Section 66-5-226 NMSA 1978. Section 66-5-207 provides for exempted motor vehicles. It provides, â€Å"The following motor vehicles are exempt from the Mandatory Financial Responsibility Act; D. A motor vehicle approved as self-insured by the superintendent of insurance pursuant to Section 66-5-207, 1 NMSA 1978:†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The Act provides for the conditions under which an owner may permit an uninsured vehicle to operate. It specifies for the exceptions to this rule, and this includes motor vehicles approved as self-insured by the superintendent of insurance. Ms. White’s complaint states that Sage is required to carry a license under the provisions of

Plato on Justice Essay Example for Free

Plato on Justice Essay Platos interpretation of justice as seen in ? The Republic is a vastly different one when compared to what we and even the philosophers of his own time are accustomed to. Plato would say justice is the act of carrying out ones duties as he is fitted with. Moreover, if ones duties require one to lie or commit something else that is not traditionally viewed along with justice; that too is considered just by Platos accounts in ? The Republic. I believe Platos account of justice, and his likely defense against objections are both clear and logical, thus I will endeavor to argue his views as best as I can. Platos view of justice ties in with his view of a perfect world. In Platos ideal world, the society would be a wise one, wise in understanding that their own position in society is just. This society in turn, must carry out their duties fitted to them by their position. Unfortunately the real world does not function in that manner, Plato understanding that ? fault with society tells us that if the society is lacking wisdom, the most wise ones would be philosophers, (473d) and society should consider them to be the authority. Plato believes that being just is so innately important that everyone is better off being just than unjust, no matter the situation. Plato in 360e-362d uses Glaucon to make this point, Glaucon asks who is better off? The just or the unjust, given the premises that the unjust man is rich, famous, respected, and powerful and that the just man is poor, defamed, and lives a life of suffering. Platos only real way to answer this is to prove that justice is innately good and that injustice is innately evil; simply prove the poor, defamed man happy and the rich, respected unjust man unhappy. Plato goes about this by explaining what justice is; justice has to do with doing what is right, and there exists some specific virtue in everything, which enables it to work well. If it is deprived of that nature, in contrast it would suffer. It is much the same with the soul, the soul must also perform its specific virtue. The more virtuous, or ? just a soul is, the happier the soul is. The happier the soul is, the happier the person is. Therefore a just man lives happily and well, whereas an unjust man would not. This argument follows the a=b b=c therefore a=c argument form. Another objection, brought about by a radical and different theory of Justice is brought up by Plato in a conversation between Socrates and Thrasymachus. In this argument Thrasymachus defines justice as in the interest of the stronger. This basically means that justice belongs in the hands of the rulers, and that the rulers are whoever is stronger, therefore getting to a ruling position. Laws are then made, based on the ruling partys interest, and only theirs. Those who violate such created laws, will get punished for breaking the law and so on and so forth. Socrates completely disagrees with this theory of justice and gives the analogy of a physician who is studying and exercising his power is in fact doing so in the interest of his patients, not himself. In the same manner, the government will do what is in the interest of the people, and not of itself. Some unanswered objections that may come up against Platos idea of justice may target the part where he believes that philosophers are the only qualified individuals to run his ideal society. Plato believes that philosophers have knowledge, I pose a scenario where there are no more philosophers, perhaps because of a philosopher massacre, or one where there is simply nobody wise enough. One can easily make the argument that since philosophy is dealing with the same questions for the past 2500 years, that we are actually not wise, and in fact quite the opposite. I believe that for the most part, Plato has a successful account of justice. Platos criticism of then present theories of justice and his defense against the xxxxxx theories make sense logically. Furthermore, Plato was ages ahead of his time by arguing for equal rights among men and woman when concerning the guardians, unlike Aristotle who got almost everything wrong and most likely set philosophy and other sciences back centuries, I believe Plato was ages ahead of his time in understand that men and women are equal in at least the ? capacity to understand reality and make reasonable judgments about it. (454d) However; just that fact does not lead to a proper defense against arguments. One thing a reader may have a problem is that Plato seems to be showing a little Heidegger by alluding to a dictatorship which are ruled by the wise, namely, philosophers. Even if such a Nazi and Communist-esque dictatorship were to be implemented, I fear it would hit the same brick wall that other dictatorships face, the people will not sit idly by while they are told what to do. I believe that leads to a larger problem. Plato seemingly wants to hint more and more at an innate knowledge which includes justice, or if the person does not have this innate knowledge he can be taught in society: knowledge and the just thing to do. I believe this poses a problem for Plato, if society innately knows the correct thing to do, but does not do it, then this is contradictory with the definition of justice Plato wants for us. And if there is one thing philosophers have insisted upon over time is that there are no contradictions. In its defense; I do not know of any philosophical questions that have a complete answer, otherwise there would be no more philosophy. Even with the possible shortcomings, Plato argues his justice logically, and uses Glaucon and Adeimentus well, to show the strengths of his arguments.

Classification Essay - PTA Personalities -- Classification Essays

PTA Personalities Many public institutions rely on the generosity and help of volunteers in order to run smoothly. One of the more important institutions is the school, and one of the most visible volunteers in the school is the PTA volunteer. These volunteers fulfill a necessary role, especially for the elementary schools, by augmenting the work of the principal and teachers with extras that the school ordinarily would not have. The people who do the volunteer work are varied, but the PTA seems to act as a magnet for three types of personalities: the power seeker, the eager beaver, and the dependable worker. Dominating Dora, the "power seeker," usually starts off as a committee chairman and almost always ends up as the PTA president. She feels she must run the PTA her way because only she knows the best way to do it. She calls board meetings often and is incensed and hurt if someone misses the meeting. All jobs must be done her way, and she frequently organizes half of the job before it is delegated. She then checks up to see if it is being done precisely as she organized it. On the other hand, she may not delegate anything at all, preferring to do most of the work herself. Not delegating the work ensures that it will be done properly, namely her way. Dominating Dora usually follows an unacknowledged personal agenda to gain status, prestige, influence, and authority; she often has no idea that she is following a personal agenda. The school personnel are wary of her since she is very bossy in her dealings with everyone. She even goes so far as to tell the principal and teacher s how to go about their own jobs. Dominating Dora also promotes programs within the PTA that the principal often ... ...ant to what she is doing. The "dependable worker" like Normal Nancy does not burn out because she paces herself, works steadily, and fills in the gaps where needed. Doras and Ritas may come and go, but Nancys "keep going and going and going." The interesting thing about the "power seeker," the "eager beaver," and the "dependable worker" is that they are all necessary to run the PTA organization. Their quirks are what make them important in getting the activities planned, the prizes made, the playground equipment ordered, and the book fair organized. Another noteworthy fact is that, when necessary, any PTA volunteer can become any one of these three types of people. The fact that a "power seeker," an "eager beaver," and a "dependable worker" can fit together like a puzzle to form a bigger picture is the miracle of the PTA volunteer organization.

Acids and Alkalis Lab Report Essay

An acid is a group of chemicals. Acids are positively charged ions, they are liquid and are solutions of pure compounds in water. If you want to know if something is an acid, you can test it by using litmus paper. Acids will turn litmus paper red, whilst alkalis will turn it blue. Alkalis are negatively charged ions and are usually solid. Aim:To find out how much of different acids is needed to neutralize 25mls of sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH). Hypothesis:The strongest alkali will need the smallest amount of an acid to cancel out and the weakest will need more acid. Variables: Control| Independent| Dependent| The indicator, NaOH| H2SO4 HClHNO3| The chemical reaction between the acids and alkali. | Materials / Apparatus: * H2SO4 * HCL * HNO3 * Alkali (NaOH) * Stand * Burette * Beaker * Funnel * Bunsen Burner * Crucible * Phenolphyalein Method: 1. Pour the 25 ml of NaOH into a beaker. 2. Drop three drops of phenolphyalein into the beaker. 3. The solution will now turn pink. . Through a funnel, pour the acid into the burette. Start dripping a few drops one by one into the beaker. 6. The solution will start getting a lighter shade of pink. 7. Stir the beaker around. 8. Once the solution turns clear, stop adding more acid. 9. Calculate the amount of acid used. 10. Take the solution and pour a bit of it into a crucible. 11. Light the Bunsen burner. 12. The salt solution will turn into salt crystals when it is heated. NaOH + HCl = NaCl + H2O NaOH + HNO3 = NaNO3 NaOH + H2SO4 = Na2SO4 + 2H2O Observations: Alkali| Acid| Moles| Observation| NaOH| HCL| 1 Mole| Took 4 ml to neutralize. No further experiment was made. | NaOH| HCL| 0. 1 Mole| Took 31 ml to neutralize. 2. 30 minutes until pink salt crystals were formed. | NaOH| HNO3| 1 Mole| Took 19. 2 ml to neutralize. 2 minutes until good white salt crystals were formed. | NaOH| H2SO4| 2 Moles| Took 1. 1 ml to neutralize. 2. 15 minutes until rings of white salt were formed. | Analysis: The weakest acid (HCl 0. 1 Mole) needed the most alkali to be made into salt and the strongest (H2SO4 2 Moles) needed the least. Different experiments made different salts. Conclusion: The strongest acid will work faster and you will need less. This is because it is a lot more reactive than the weaker acids and it will want to react much faster with the alkali. Evaluation: In my group, Zuzanna and I were the ones doing the experiment while everyone else observed and took notes on what happened. The first time, we dropped one too many drops of H2SO4 in the alkali so the alkali quickly turned pink again. We had to try it six times before we could get it right because we kept putting too much in or we would forget how much we put in. But after a few tries we finally got it to work and we got the correct solution. Therefore we could finally go on to the next step and heat up the solution. It took our salt around 2 minutes and 15 seconds to heat up, evaporate and leave us with small rings of white salt crystals. Our salt crystals did not turn out as the best, but they were successful.

26 Common Suffixes in English (With Examples)

How Long Should I Be Studying

How long should you study for a test? The answer to this question is different for everyone because its not just a matter of how long you study —  its also how effectively you study. If you study ineffectively, you might find yourself studying for hours  without making real progress, which leads to frustration and burnout. Effective studying, on the other hand, can just as easily come in the form of short, focused bursts or in lengthy group study sessions. Study Session Timing Most good study sessions are at least one hour long. A one-hour block gives you enough time to dive deep into the material, but it isnt so long that your mind wanders. However, one 60-minute session often is not enough time to cover an entire chapter or semesters worth of material, so youll need to schedule more than one session. Take time off between one-hour  or two-hour sessions. This is how your brain works best —  short but frequent bursts of attention, separated by frequent breaks. If you find yourself reading long chapters without stopping and then remembering absolutely nothing when you put the book away, consider adopting this one-hour strategy. Ultimately, the key to determining how long you need to study is rooted in your unique brain type. When you figure out why your brain works the way it does, you can schedule your study sessions more effectively. Students Who Are Global Thinkers Some students are global thinkers, which means their brains work hard  behind the scenes as they read.  As they read, learners  may initially feel overwhelmed by the amount of information theyre taking in, but then — almost like magic — discover that things start to make sense afterward. If you are a global thinker,  you should try to  read in segments, taking occasional breaks to relax. Your brain needs  time  for information to sink in and sort itself out. If you are a global thinker, try not to panic if you dont understand something right away. Dont stress yourself out! Youll remember much more if you read calmly, then let your brain work its magic after youve put the book away. Students Who Are Analytic Thinkers Some students are analytic thinkers, which means that they love to get to the bottom of things. These thinkers often cant proceed if they stumble upon information that doesnt make sense right away. If youre an analytic thinker, you might find yourself getting hung up on details, which keeps you from getting through your reading in a reasonable amount of time. Instead of re-reading sections over and over again, put a sticky-note or a pencil mark on every page or section where you get stuck. Then, move on to the next section — you can go back and look up words or concepts the second time around.