Torture

Whenever torture is brought up as a possible intelligence tactics, I just think of the Salem Witch Trials – mainly for the point that Arar brought up in his article. Intelligence tactics through torture seem to result mainly in false information. The torture memos from John Yoo should show that.  I think of torture for intelligence purposes that it’s like panning for gold. Just because you get tiny ounces of gold every once in a while it doesn't mean you should pan for gold every day, at every river.

For what we are receiving by torturing these people – mentally scarring them, water boarding them, cultivated prejudice and hatred – the tiny bits of information we receive from torture are not worth their pain and the sacrifice of these people’s lives.

Also, I tend to have a problem with doing anything to prevent terrorism. The terrorism that is rampant in the United States is incredibly over emphasized and we make the decisions of a few dictate how we look at a culture.