The Cap'n gave his tentative stamp of approval to a story on water boarding by Malcolm Nance. Nance claimed a degree of expertise, and judged that water boarding is unequivocal torture.
As Cap'n Ed since noted, the commentary on that post erupted in controversy. One aspect of the controversy I found particularly intriguing was Nance's claim that he underwent waterboarding in training with the result that he had water poured directly into his lungs (not that it bypassed his throat or nasal passages!).
From what I understand about modern water boarding, the prisoner is stabilized in supine on an incline, with the result that water would have to flow uphill to enter the lungs. Now, given proper conditions it is certainly possible to draw water up an incline to enter the lungs. The normal use of a soda straw attests to that readily enough.
The thing is, water boarding techniques (such as compressing the chest and covering the mouth and nose with cellophane) seem to make that type of aspiration by suction difficult if not impossible. As a result, Nance's testimony seemed dubious.
In the followup, Cap'n Ed promised to provide accounts by two sources with the same type of qualifications clalimed by Nance. Ed drops the hint that both were appalled by Nance's account.
I will look forward to the next chapter in this story.
*****
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