How does waterboarding work again?

OK, the practice has been publicized on the news for a while now. Waterboarding is supposed to "simulate" drowning, but I still don't quite get it. Either you can breath, or you can't. If your airway is being blocked by water, then you're drowning, period. Or do they call it a simulation because they're only forcing water into your nose and mouth part of the time?
Additional Details
"Gentlemanbear",
Whether you're for or against it, waterboarding is a matter of legal and ethical debate, and the name of this group is Law & Ethics. Why exactly don't you think it belongs here?

queenE

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/video/2008/hitchens_video200808 and the other is an actual interview with someone who was water boarded.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15900592 it isn't done exactly the same with each person,it's described as part time but the feeling of drowning

Aziz

Water boarding is not really dangerous thing to do. It is just away to make the suspect feel the sensation of drowning and release secret information. I think the CIA and others should use all available interrogations to gain unknown information for terror suspects. I feel for Obama to break his promises and now root for the terrorists. Americans are not enjoying their own rights and now they want to give the terrorists rights! Are you kidding me?
However, I believe that we should not go too deep into torturing them because I don't want our troops and officials tortured though terrorists will do it anyway whether we do it or not.

GentlemanBear

OK, I'm not sure what this has to do with this groups' content, but you might go to Youtube, http://www.youtube.com , and type "waterboarding" into the search box. I didn't watch any of the videos that came up as this machine can't play them, but there should be something to answer your question.
GB

Amarkov

"Drowning" can imply that you are actually submerged in water. When you are waterboarded, water is just poured over your face.

nytebreid

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterboarding

Tom

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgNEO8Px8oblWTzrcdbJMWzsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20090423204410AATfkld

bash

You cannot breathe while it is happening. It is 'simulated' drowning because the 'goal' isn't to actually drown you, but to make you feel like you are drowning. It can only be sustained for short periods or the person would actually die. There is a real risk of death from actually drowning or suffering a heart attack or damage to the lungs from inhalation of water. Long term effects include panic attacks, depression and PTSD.

lolz

Well, they're lucky than those who are killed at WTC. Tell the truth or die. At least there's an options.

How many families are stressing this time because of these terrorists.

Why cared about these psychopath when they never cared others' feelings.

Matt N

That's what everyone says. Either you're drowning or you're not. Then when you get waterboarded, you realize what it's really like. If you try holding your breath, the wet towel clings to the inside of your nose and sends water down. If you try to breath, you simply find yourself unable to.

It really is not a simulation. It IS drowning and it IS torture.

Zaljereck

The bottom line is, this form of torture is so uncomfortable, that the accused sometimes tells the people that are doing the torturing whatever they want to hear just to make it stop. Which leads to misinformation. So how reliable is this form of torture really?

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