Is Long Term Solitary Confinement Torture?

[Warren Dew]

Everybody on Death Row in the US is kept in similar conditions, sometimes for decades. And some of those people are innocent of any crime, so I can't summon up much sympathy for this dude I'm afraid.

A few people have specifically tried to get death sentences so they could be in solitary, figuring the appeals process would outlast their lives anyway.

[Gallstones]

I'd prefer being alone to being with any aggressive cellmate.

It would be more stressful for me to be confined in a small space with another person.

They aren't totally devoid of human interactions anyway.
They have ways of communicating with each other and the guards check on them, bring them meals, take them out for showers and recreation everyday. They can request visits by clergy and attorneys and most are not denied visits from family. They can make phone calls, send and receive mail.

[Gallstones]

If I was put in solitary confinement I reckon I would go mad straight away. I would just go screwloose like screaming and shit for no reason, the guards would probably think I'm posessed or something.

At least you'd provide entertainment.

[Seth]

Bradley Manning, the soldier who leaked all the classified documents to Wikileaks, has been in solitary confinement for the last four months. Does he deserve this punishment even though he hasn't been been tried yet, and Is it torture?

Bradley Manning, WikiLeaks' Alleged Leaker, 'Very Annoyed' At Solitary Confinement

He should have been tried, convicted and executed by a drum-head court-martial within 48 hours of his arrest for treason in time of war.

But no, it's not torture. He's both a security and a suicide risk, so he needs to be in solitary, right up until they shoot or hang him. I'd hang him on a gallows built on the steps of the Capitol, and I'd leave his body for the crows to pick at till it falls of its own decomposition. I'd allow the stench of his rotting body to pervade the Capitol, to remind the politicians inside what the penalty for treason is, and to remind them of their oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.

[Gallstones]

Bradley Manning, the soldier who leaked all the classified documents to Wikileaks, has been in solitary confinement for the last four months. Does he deserve this punishment even though he hasn't been been tried yet, and Is it torture?

Bradley Manning, WikiLeaks' Alleged Leaker, 'Very Annoyed' At Solitary Confinement

He should have been tried, convicted and executed by a drum-head court-martial within 48 hours of his arrest for treason in time of war.

Well, that would solve the suffering issue.

[Gallstones]

Bradley Manning, the soldier who leaked all the classified documents to Wikileaks, has been in solitary confinement for the last four months. Does he deserve this punishment even though he hasn't been been tried yet, and Is it torture?

Bradley Manning, WikiLeaks' Alleged Leaker, 'Very Annoyed' At Solitary Confinement

He should have been tried, convicted and executed by a drum-head court-martial within 48 hours of his arrest for treason in time of war.

But no, it's not torture. He's both a security and a suicide risk, so he needs to be in solitary, right up until they shoot or hang him. I'd hang him on a gallows built on the steps of the Capitol, and I'd leave his body for the crows to pick at till it falls of its own decomposition. I'd allow the stench of his rotting body to pervade the Capitol, to remind the politicians inside what the penalty for treason is, and to remind them of their oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.

Seth, Seth, Seth, you must be a Scorpio.

[egbert]

For many, if it meant avoiding the Significant Other, it would be anything but torture.
But seriously, in Bradley's case, it is torture, punishment before he's even been tried.
So typical of the USA.

[Seth]

Bradley Manning, the soldier who leaked all the classified documents to Wikileaks, has been in solitary confinement for the last four months. Does he deserve this punishment even though he hasn't been been tried yet, and Is it torture?

Bradley Manning, WikiLeaks' Alleged Leaker, 'Very Annoyed' At Solitary Confinement

He should have been tried, convicted and executed by a drum-head court-martial within 48 hours of his arrest for treason in time of war.

But no, it's not torture. He's both a security and a suicide risk, so he needs to be in solitary, right up until they shoot or hang him. I'd hang him on a gallows built on the steps of the Capitol, and I'd leave his body for the crows to pick at till it falls of its own decomposition. I'd allow the stench of his rotting body to pervade the Capitol, to remind the politicians inside what the penalty for treason is, and to remind them of their oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.

Seth, Seth, Seth, you must be a Scorpio.

No, I'm a patriot who thinks that traitors, especially military traitors who cause enormous harm to our nation by engaging in espionage need to be swiftly tried and publicly executed, as an example and a warning to others who might do the same.

[Gallstones]

Bradley Manning, the soldier who leaked all the classified documents to Wikileaks, has been in solitary confinement for the last four months. Does he deserve this punishment even though he hasn't been been tried yet, and Is it torture?

Bradley Manning, WikiLeaks' Alleged Leaker, 'Very Annoyed' At Solitary Confinement

He should have been tried, convicted and executed by a drum-head court-martial within 48 hours of his arrest for treason in time of war.

But no, it's not torture. He's both a security and a suicide risk, so he needs to be in solitary, right up until they shoot or hang him. I'd hang him on a gallows built on the steps of the Capitol, and I'd leave his body for the crows to pick at till it falls of its own decomposition. I'd allow the stench of his rotting body to pervade the Capitol, to remind the politicians inside what the penalty for treason is, and to remind them of their oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.

Seth, Seth, Seth, you must be a Scorpio.

No, I'm a patriot who thinks that traitors, especially military traitors who cause enormous harm to our nation by engaging in espionage need to be swiftly tried and publicly executed, as an example and a warning to others who might do the same.

I got that. I was trying to lighten things up.

[irretating]

Bradley Manning, the soldier who leaked all the classified documents to Wikileaks, has been in solitary confinement for the last four months. Does he deserve this punishment even though he hasn't been been tried yet, and Is it torture?

Bradley Manning, WikiLeaks' Alleged Leaker, 'Very Annoyed' At Solitary Confinement

He should have been tried, convicted and executed by a drum-head court-martial within 48 hours of his arrest for treason in time of war.

But no, it's not torture. He's both a security and a suicide risk, so he needs to be in solitary, right up until they shoot or hang him. I'd hang him on a gallows built on the steps of the Capitol, and I'd leave his body for the crows to pick at till it falls of its own decomposition. I'd allow the stench of his rotting body to pervade the Capitol, to remind the politicians inside what the penalty for treason is, and to remind them of their oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.

Seth, Seth, Seth, you must be a Scorpio.

No, I'm a patriot who thinks that traitors, especially military traitors who cause enormous harm to our nation by engaging in espionage need to be swiftly tried and publicly executed, as an example and a warning to others who might do the same.

What evidence do you have for the 'enormous harm' that you think Manning should be executed for?

[maiforpeace]

Bradley Manning, the soldier who leaked all the classified documents to Wikileaks, has been in solitary confinement for the last four months. Does he deserve this punishment even though he hasn't been been tried yet, and Is it torture?

Bradley Manning, WikiLeaks' Alleged Leaker, 'Very Annoyed' At Solitary Confinement

He should have been tried, convicted and executed by a drum-head court-martial within 48 hours of his arrest for treason in time of war.

But no, it's not torture. He's both a security and a suicide risk, so he needs to be in solitary, right up until they shoot or hang him. I'd hang him on a gallows built on the steps of the Capitol, and I'd leave his body for the crows to pick at till it falls of its own decomposition. I'd allow the stench of his rotting body to pervade the Capitol, to remind the politicians inside what the penalty for treason is, and to remind them of their oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.

Seth, Seth, Seth, you must be a Scorpio.

No, I'm a patriot who thinks that traitors, especially military traitors who cause enormous harm to our nation by engaging in espionage need to be swiftly tried and publicly executed, as an example and a warning to others who might do the same.

What evidence do you have for the 'enormous harm' that you think Manning should be executed for?

Yes, do tell Seth, what is the enormous harm to our nation that has occurred in this instance?

[Seth]

Bradley Manning, the soldier who leaked all the classified documents to Wikileaks, has been in solitary confinement for the last four months. Does he deserve this punishment even though he hasn't been been tried yet, and Is it torture?

Bradley Manning, WikiLeaks' Alleged Leaker, 'Very Annoyed' At Solitary Confinement

He should have been tried, convicted and executed by a drum-head court-martial within 48 hours of his arrest for treason in time of war.

But no, it's not torture. He's both a security and a suicide risk, so he needs to be in solitary, right up until they shoot or hang him. I'd hang him on a gallows built on the steps of the Capitol, and I'd leave his body for the crows to pick at till it falls of its own decomposition. I'd allow the stench of his rotting body to pervade the Capitol, to remind the politicians inside what the penalty for treason is, and to remind them of their oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.

Seth, Seth, Seth, you must be a Scorpio.

No, I'm a patriot who thinks that traitors, especially military traitors who cause enormous harm to our nation by engaging in espionage need to be swiftly tried and publicly executed, as an example and a warning to others who might do the same.

What evidence do you have for the 'enormous harm' that you think Manning should be executed for?

Release of hundreds of thousands of classified military and diplomatic documents that will (and likely already has) get people killed in Iraq and Afghanistan and will damage our diplomatic efforts for decades to come. The full extent of the harm may never be fully known, but it was espionage which gives aid and comfort to our enemies by revealing our military secrets and confidential diplomatic communications, and it's therefore treason, and he should be executed as an example to other traitors and spies, just like the Rosenbergs.

[maiforpeace]

We certainly don't need Wikileaks to damage our reputation in either of those wars, we are doing a fine job of it without Wikileaks.

And what about due process, Seth?

[egbert]

What evidence do you have for the 'enormous harm' that you think Manning should be executed for?

Release of hundreds of thousands of classified military and diplomatic documents that will (and likely already has) get people killed in Iraq and Afghanistan and will damage our diplomatic efforts for decades to come. The full extent of the harm may never be fully known, but it was espionage which gives aid and comfort to our enemies by revealing our military secrets and confidential diplomatic communications, and it's therefore treason, and he should be executed as an example to other traitors and spies, just like the Rosenbergs.

Gee, wonder why the Jewish spy, Jonathan Pollard didn't get similar treatment?
And yet --

Eric Margolis alleges that Pollard's spying may have led to the capture and
execution of CIA spies in the Eastern Bloc after Israel sold or bartered Pollard's
information to the Soviet Union.

Several American statesmen and politicians have called for Pollard to be released:
# Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger
# Former Vice President Dan Quayle
# Senator John McCain (R-AZ)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Pollard"

Imagine, that great American patriot John McCain lobbying for the pardoning of a treasonous
spy! You don't suppose the Israeli connection overrides other considerations...

[irretating]

What evidence do you have for the 'enormous harm' that you think Manning should be executed for?

Release of hundreds of thousands of classified military and diplomatic documents that will (and likely already has) get people killed in Iraq and Afghanistan and will damage our diplomatic efforts for decades to come. The full extent of the harm may never be fully known, but it was espionage which gives aid and comfort to our enemies by revealing our military secrets and confidential diplomatic communications, and it's therefore treason, and he should be executed as an example to other traitors and spies, just like the Rosenbergs.

Very nebulous answer. Evidence is required for your claim that the release of the documents will get people killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. As for damaging your diplomatic efforts for decades to come, evidence required once more.