Bypassing The Eight Amendment

The 8th Amendment to the US Constitution inconveniently enough prohibits “cruel and unusual punishment”, including torture. The fact that US investigators have been secretly transferring some of its prisoners to countries that routinely practice torture, including notable Axis of Evil states such as Syria, has been known for some time. Indeed, in some deranged sections of the US media it’s become actively fashionable to talk about the “effectiveness” of certain torture techniques. But this usually goes unexamined, so i was therefore pleased to see a recent CSM article explaining the new US eagerness to subcontract out torture (more good effects of globalization?), and tying the US’s recent decision to join with Syria in opposing a new UN anti-torture regulations. Gosh darn it, that could wipe out the export market!