There are so many here that complain about “Bush Era” interrogation techniques. Perhaps they would rather use the enhanced interrogation procedures used during LBJ’s administration? You know, the “High Altitude,” AKA the “Helicopter,” interrogation procedure.
During the Vietnam War, approximately 90% of Vietcong prisoners broke down under the direct questioning approach. Yet the story goes that sometimes two recalcitrant POW’s would be taken up in a chopper. One candidate—the one deemed least likely to talk or least likely to possess valuable intel would then be thrown out—hands bound—at altitude. Purportedly, the remaining POW would sing like a canary. The ethical dilemma here is that while the first guy was obviously murdered (not too unlike UBL), was the second guy really tortured?
Another version claims that an uncooperative POW would be pushed out of a helicopter while leashed and secured to a tether line (did the POW know he was tethered?). The POW would then be hauled back into the helicopter. Once the guy was settled, the interrogators conspicuously cut the tether line and renewed their questioning. Again, the POW usually talked.
This enhanced method was rarely used by U.S. forces; however, it WAS commonly employed by the ARVN.