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When Obama was elected as President, he reduced the possibility of torture as a form of punishment and interrogation. In 2010, he even justified his interrogation methods as being fair, which this article will highlight.

In recent news, it was reported that President Obama is not able to fully eliminate torture from the records. If he will not be elected, leading Republican candidates may reintroduce the form of torture as a matter of good politics.

Here are just 10 reasons politicians/theorists used to justify their means of torture.

1. State Sanctioned Torture-Good Politics:

If Obama is not elected as President, many Republicans who may take his place believe that torture is a matter of good politics; especially when it comes to War on Terror.

2. Due Process:

President Bush believed that terrorists imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay had no right to due process. This limits habeas corpus rights for everyone, which everyone is entitled to in the US Constitution.

3. Waterboard is quintessential:

Throughout history waterboard has been used as a form of torture especially under Jim Crow Laws. President Bush recently used waterboard as torture (specifically inquisition). To him it was quintessential and harmless.

4. Enhanced Interrogation:

In 2010, the White House stipulated that their interrogation was tough, safe, necessary and lawful. They also stipulated that their methods were not torturous.

5. Security:

George W. Bush was not concerned about his popularity when tapping into people’s phone calls or interrogating possible terrorists in prison cells, which people called torture. He was instead concerned about the security of his country.

Torture is considered as one of the most abominable acts of men since time immemorial. It is an ancient hideous practice that remains up to the present times. Torture is done for interrogation, deterrence and punishment. In this article, we will be looking at the list of Top 10 gruesome torture devices of medieval times. While several of these torture devices can cause untold pain and instant death, we must remember that we have in our midst modern torture devices which can bring untold pain but for a longer time period.

1. Crocodile Shears

The crocodile shears was widely used as torture device during the latter part of medieval era and were commonly used on regicides. These are the criminals who have made attempts of assassinating the king. A super heated crocodile shear is applied on the erect penis of the victim and with sufficient tension will result to the tearing off of that part of the human anatomy. Those who are lucky enough to save their manhood, however, end up with severe arterial bleeding.

2. Breast Ripper

This gruesome torture device was primarily used for interrogation and punishment of prisoners. This is widely used then to mark the breast of single mothers. Those women suspected of heresy, adultery, blasphemy, abortion and other acts considered inimical by the inquisitors suffer the painful experience of their breast being torn off by the red hot breast ripper.

3. Lead Sprinkler

The lead sprinkler is basically a ladle with a handle. The upper half of the ladle sphere can be detached and filled up with molten metal or boiling tar, pitch or water. The contents are then poured on the pinioned and hapless victim.

4. Choke Pear

This torture device was used in rectal and oral formats, and in extreme cases, in the vaginal area. They are forced into these orifices of victims and are forcibly expanded to the maximum aperture segments.

5. Spanish Donkey

This torture device consists of a main board that is cut into wedge at the top and is fastened to a pair of cross beams. The naked victim is place astride atop of the main board as if riding a donkey while weights are placed on the victim’s feet.