Advanced Interrogation Techniques the United States

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Due to rising levels of danger along with the creation and utilization of new technology, the government of the twenty first century, are becoming more involved and protective similar to the government of Oceania in the book Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell. In the book Nineteen Eighty Four, the main character Winston Smith, commits acts that are not legal according to the government of Oceania. Winston commits crimes which include thinking bad things about the government of Oceania, or thought crime, plotting against the government of Oceania, and having sexual relations with a young woman named Julia. Eventually, Winston ends up getting caught by a hidden telescreen and two thought police informants. When Winston is caught, he is transported to a prison without being read rights, much less having any actual rights. While in prison Winston is deprived of food and sleep, received regular beatings, is brainwashed, and is tortured physically, mentally, and emotionally. This essay will show the reader what the modern day government of the United States of America does to its political prisoners and how this compares to the treatment of political prisoners in George Orwell’s book Nineteen Eighty Four.

The reason that all governments torture prisoners is the same. “Torture is a machine designed to break the will to resist” (Klein) or to punish those who have disobeyed. There are two main reasons a government would want to break a person’s will. One reason why a government would want to break a person’s will is to remove that person’s motivation towards doing or saying things that the government does not want them to do or say. This reason, is the main purpose behind the persecution of Winston in Nineteen Eighty Four. The secon...

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Ross, Brian, and Richard Esposito. "CIA's Harsh Interrogation Techniques Described." ABC News. ABC News Network, 08 Nov. 2005. Web. 08 Mar. 2014. .

Service, Mail Foreign. "Waterboarding, the Coffin-and-insect Box and 'walling': The Chilling Details of How CIA Tortured 28 Terror Suspects." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 17 Apr. 2009. Web. 06 Mar. 2014. .

US NGO Physicians for Human Rights Manual. Washington D.C.: US NGO Physicians for Human Rights, 2001. Print.

Wright, Peter. "Recording Testimony of US Army Officer John Peirce." The Cutting Edge. N.p., 11 Sept. 2006. Web. 06 Mar. 2014. .

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