Waterboarding Redux
The current controversy over waterboarding is not the first time America has come into conflict over this issue. vjack has a great post over at Atheist Revolution on how there was a public debate on the very same technique over 100 years ago after its use by American forces in the Philippines. Back then, as now, right-wing Christian bigotry played a large role in creating support for it. History really does repeat itself.
Thanks for the link. I think the key here is dehumanization. When the enemy can be effectively dehumanized, the door to mistreatment opens.