One of the best, most compelling books I have read is Two Souls Indivisible: The Friendship that Saved Two POWs in Vietnam. You can see a description of it here: http://www.amazon.com/Two-Souls-Indivisible-Friendship-Vietnam/dp/0618273484.
I had the honor of meeting Porter Halyburton, who signed my book with tremendous sincerity and thoughtfulness. Shaking his hand will remain most memorable. One other person I had the honor of shaking hands with many years ago was Dith Pran, the person on whom the protagonist in the story, “The Killing Fields,” was based.
Both men suffered unspeakable horrors. If you want to know why torture is so reprehensible, read the book. If you haven’t seen the movie “The Killing Fields,” about the genocide in Cambodia, you should. If you haven’t watched “Hotel Rwanda,” you should.
The next time there is a heated debate about what constitutes torture, think about the book and the bone-chilling descriptions of what Porter Halyburton and Fred Cherry endured in Vietnam. We can add Senator John McCain to that roster. This book should be required reading for all the presidential candidates. Then, maybe they will think twice about being so nonchalant about the issue of torture.
NOTE: Everything I write in this blog constitutes my personal opinions and views.
Hayat Alvi, Ph.D. 