Torture an instrument of power.

I do not agree that torture is morally permissible in any situation. I agree with former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's words: "Torture can never be an instrument to fight terror, for torture is an instrument of terror."

Terror is a scare tactic which is inhumane and sometimes falls upon innocent individuals. When information is given, it is sometimes false, misleading, or made up. It is also dangerous to give any person, or institution the power to torture. In cases such as Abu Grahib, the detainees were not only tortured, but also humiliated. They were stripped down, which in Muslim culture is disrespectful, and the US soldiers had taken pictures with their naked bodies and posted them on social media. I fear of creating a slippery slope argument, however it seems as though situations or torture lead to other humiliating and inhumane act.

Psychological experiments such as the Stanford prison experiment  show the danger in giving individuals such power and authority over others. In the end, we are all humans and there is something dignifying in this simple condition. "Terrorists" use torture to terrorize their victims and their loved ones, it is incomprehensible to me why an organized government or organization would use this instrument of terror when assessing situations. To me, the arguments used against those who oppose terrorism seem ridiculous. If torture could be justified in certain situations, the US would use torture on its shores, instead, we ship our criminals to Guantanamo Bay and other deplorable prisons around the world. We essentially let others do our dirty work, yet are not opposed to it.