Torture Debates

1. Does Israel torture Palestinians?
2. The use of Torture can be Morally Permissible
3. Torture is sometimes morally permissible.
4. The United States should allow the limited use of torture.
5. It is never justified to torture terrorists.
6. There are situations conceivable when torture can be justified.

Torture Debates

History and Debate of Torture

Terrorists have killed thousands of people across the globe. These deaths are undeserved, and as a result many people push for the torture of terrorists in order to uncover information to prevent future attacks. The torture debate, however, is hugely controversial subject in modern society.

Arguments in Favor of the Torture Debate

First, there are a number of advantages to torturing terrorism suspects. Information obtained from terrorists is often incredibly time-sensitive. The information obtained through torture is used for a variety of purposes. If information is given about an attack taking place in the future, military and government officials can utilize that information in a timely manner to prepare for an attack. Torture allows officials to obtain the information in a timely fashion. Next, many argue that terrorists are deserving of some extra punishment as a result of all the death and misery that they have caused. Torture is a means of providing that extra punishment.

Torture is also justified by many because it is still relatively humane compared to what terrorists to do soldiers they capture themselves. Torture is considered a good method to turn to when needed information is not disclosed by terrorists. Lastly, when tortured, a subject may supply information that was not even requested by the interrogator. This information is often incredibly useful, but officials do not always know the right questions to ask.

Arguments Against the Torture Debate

While there are definitely some advantages for the torture of terrorists, there are also many disadvantages. Torture is considered by many experts as both impractical and ineffective. When people are tortured, the information supplied is often falsified; the person undergoing torture does not have an ultimate goal of supplying accurate information. Indeed, most torture victims are not even capable of giving accurate information. Instead, their main goal is simply to stop the torture in order to allow pain or stress levels to return to normal levels. Another disadvantage is the high rate of attrition among interrogators. It is hard to keep the interrogators psychologically sound when they partake in such difficult activities.

Other disadvantages in regard to the torture debate revolve around the psychology of interrogation regarding the subject of the questioning. Those undergoing interrogation and torture may consider themselves as heroes, not criminals. Interrogators who torture are perceived as dirty and immoral, making the subject even more resistant to yield information. Last, torture causes an array of negative opinions. Those who undertake practices involving torture are perceived as evil, swaying public and international opinion and potentially causing a great number of negative effects.