Kaj Larsen Goes Waterboarding

I've heard about waterboarding and how it's done, but I've never seen any coverage this...raw. It's a spectacular piece that I gives more understanding of what the U.S. government is doing while they debate semantics. The "It's not about who they are but who we are" line was perfectly placed.

We're a nation founded on the idea that we'd be ruled by laws written by people of our choosing, not ruled by a monarch. This practice is another example of George Bush declaring himself a monarch who is not subject to the rule of law.

This "simulation" actually hurts the argument against torture because you have portrayed waterboarding in such a tame manner that most ignorant people will think the real technique isn't that bad. You have to do phase 3: wrap cellophane around the face, poke a hole in it, then poor the water in. Showing you last for 24 minutes, and then laughing afterwards is an extreme media distortion of the truth, and a disservice to the public.

Kaj,

Yeah...I don't think you lasted 24minutes on the waterboard during Navy SERE training in Warner Springs. Your such a liberal!! Me and Don talk about it all the time. Tom

This really looks like torture. I'd be very freaked out if people were yeliing and "similation drowning". These guys are dangerous but I don't know, this seems wrong.

until recently i thought waterboarding was something the kids were doing on Lake Mannawa. fantastic video and thank you for braving the elements! great job!

Its not like other militaries dont say cut off Americans heads and broadcast it to the world now is it? This technique seems a much better option would you say?

Uh, hate to ruin your little fantasy here, but the actual technique involves what is basically plastic wrap around the mouth area, not a rag stuffed into the mouth.

That was the most mild waterboarding ever. He lasted a long time and did not appear to be in distress. Most people last less than half a minute.

BTW- plenty of non-American media outlets have shown "real" waterboarding used in the field. It doesn't look like this.

this may be a mild form of torture, but really folks, if waterboarding were in fact torture, would we be discussing whether or not it was done properly or was too mild? Besides, if it were really torture, would anyone volunteer to see how bad it was? Does anyone here need to volunteer to have a quarter inch shank drilled into their thigh or their testicles cut off to "see what its like"? Pure and simple, waterboarding sucks and is lame, but while it meets the legal definition of torture, we really need to have a better discussion over what is and isn't allowed and stop masking actions like this with stigmatized words like torture. If you gave anyone a choice between having their eyes gouged out or this, it'd be a non-issue which was torturous.

And yes, I have talked to several Navy Seal friends who went through SERE training. They agree that its not fun, but by no means is it torturous. They also said, its a matter of motivation. The airmen and other folks who go through SERE are less tolerant of waterboarding, but most Seals I've talked to hardly remember the event and just think of it as just another crappy thing they had to endure for their training.