The Torturer's Dilemma: Analyzing the Logic of Torture for Information
The Torturer's Dilemma: Analyzing the Logic of Torture for Information
The Torturer's Dilemma: Analyzing the Logic of Torture for Information
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6. This did not occur: as torture became a larger part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> in<strong>for</strong>mation ag<strong>the</strong>ring apparatus, <strong>the</strong><br />
number <strong>of</strong> captives instead increased radically, regularly exceeding after March 1957 <strong>the</strong><br />
total number <strong>of</strong> ALN fighters.<br />
7. If <strong>the</strong> French could not detect when ignorant captives lied in order to end <strong>the</strong>ir suffering, <strong>the</strong>n<br />
<strong>the</strong>re is little reason to believe that <strong>the</strong>y could detect <strong>the</strong> lies <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> knowledgeable captives.<br />
Even with <strong>the</strong> far-reaching and effective intelligence apparatus represented by <strong>the</strong> DPU, <strong>the</strong> French<br />
state was still accepting large amounts <strong>of</strong> misin<strong>for</strong>mation. In o<strong>the</strong>r words, having <strong>the</strong> ability to judge<br />
in<strong>for</strong>mation gained under torture is not enough – <strong>the</strong> state must make a credible commitment to do so.<br />
4.3. <strong>The</strong> Battle <strong>of</strong> Algiers<br />
Algerian Nationalism Divided<br />
<strong>The</strong> Algerian nationalist movement by <strong>the</strong> outbreak <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Revolution on November 1 st , 1954<br />
was far from a monolithic entity, and in fact it was <strong>the</strong> outbreak <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Revolution itself that would<br />
begin <strong>the</strong> process <strong>of</strong> consolidation that would leave <strong>the</strong> FLN as <strong>the</strong> only organization in a position to<br />
bargain <strong>for</strong> Independence with <strong>the</strong> French government. <strong>The</strong> nationalist movement up until that point<br />
can be characterized by three strains, engaged in cooperation and competition with each o<strong>the</strong>r: <strong>the</strong><br />
Association des Ulema, a primarily cultural and educational religious group subscribing to a <strong>for</strong>m <strong>of</strong><br />
Islamic-nationalism, headed by Abdelhamid Ben Baddis; <strong>the</strong> liberal, re<strong>for</strong>mist Union Democratique du<br />
Manifeste Algerien (UDMA) headed by <strong>the</strong> evolué Ferhat Abbas; and <strong>the</strong> radical, marxist-oriented<br />
strain centered (until <strong>the</strong> 1950s) around Messali Hadj. (Horne, p.38) In addition, <strong>the</strong>re existed as well<br />
an Algerian Communist Party (PCA) that had been spun <strong>of</strong>f from <strong>the</strong> PCF, and that was composed <strong>of</strong><br />
both Muslim and pied noir membership. <strong>The</strong> FLN would eventually dominate all four <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se groups,<br />
ei<strong>the</strong>r through political marginalization, engaging <strong>the</strong>ir active support, or intimidation and violence, but<br />
not all at once, and not without considerable struggle.<br />
While it would be beyond <strong>the</strong> scope <strong>of</strong> this investigation to determine <strong>the</strong> historical roots <strong>of</strong><br />
Algerian nationalism (one might date <strong>the</strong> beginnings to <strong>the</strong> rebellion led by Abd el-Qadir in <strong>the</strong><br />
aftermath <strong>of</strong> France's invasion in 1830), it is crucial to examine how <strong>the</strong> various strains <strong>of</strong> Algerian<br />
nationalism were able or unable to coordinate and cooperate with each o<strong>the</strong>r in order to understand <strong>the</strong><br />
importance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> FLN's eventual triumph as <strong>the</strong> sole organ <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> Revolution. <strong>The</strong> earliest moment <strong>of</strong><br />
inter-Nationalist cooperation <strong>for</strong> our purposes is <strong>the</strong> battle over <strong>the</strong> Blum-Viollette bill in 1936. At that<br />
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