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Is the use of torture as an interrogation technique ever justified?

Results so far:

No
58% 265 votes Total: 454 votes
Yes
42% 189 votes

Mankind has made claims that it is the superior species on planet Earth - without its experiences and education nothing could have developed into what we know today. Despite these statements everything that makes the human existence tick-over is contained inside many individual minds.

With that, you'd assume that what we know is sacred to you and you only. You choose to share information or withhold your deepest dark secret in the privacy of your mind. Sadly, there are many organisations - that ironically believe in the mantra of secrecy - that your information is their business and theirs alone.

All advancements in the human way of life still essentially mean nothing when the power of the mind is still the most sought out commodity in the world. This is where the covert groups (that seek information) are still impotent - all that technology to hand and still they cannot get what they really want.

Information is still power and if you don't give it willingly - nations around the world still practice the ancient art of torture to their fellow man. There is an uneasy alliance of conscience; we know it goes on in all sorts of places but feel powerless to prevent it. The problems being that torture can and is used on a daily basis in regimes and secret military operations but cannot be stopped.

We can belittle the past when devices existed such as the "Iron Maiden" (a rather nasty-looking body box with spikes) or "thumb screws" (that crushed fingers) - but the practice of torture hasn't died with history - it breaths in the 21st century - not behind castle walls but in darkened backrooms hidden from public perception and record.

Governments spread a threat message that they'll do whatever it takes to protect the masses from the next "terrorist threat" - the current climate suggests that anyone can be perceived a threat to a nation's security - camps are widespread where "suspects" are interrogated on a daily basis over a prolonged period of time (using any number of degrading techniques to make a subject compliant).

Torture cannot be allowed to continue if you deem your culture to be a moral or ethical society. Anyone that can seriously justify the use of pain-infliction on another human being must consider this fact: accepting that anyone can be tortured is also allowing the possibility that you could be next! Don't think that a torturer has any moral fibre on who the victim is when information or lack of it isn't forthcoming.

Nothing in this day-and-age is worth the continuation of barbaric acts upon the rest of mankind.

Learn more about this author, Wayne Reeves.
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Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:

Is the use of torture as an interrogation technique ever justified?

No
  • 1 of 21

    by Eleanor Scott

    The use of torture as an interrogation technique is both unjustified and misguided. Morally, it is a blatant example of

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  • 2 of 21

    by Zachary Maichuk

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Yes
  • 1 of 16

    by Donald Finley

    Is the use of torture as an interrogation technique ever justified? The politically correct scenario to justify "enhanced

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  • 2 of 16

    by Robert Darmody

    The Geneva Convention and dangerously effete notions that warfare is something manageable to the point of becoming

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