Preview

Torture

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1929 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Torture
Torture is Justifiable

The limited use of torture should be permitted in the US in order to protect the wellbeing of the public. Torture can be both an effective means of gathering information, and it can be reasonably justified in some circumstances. Some of these circumstances can be any time where there is a huge amount of human wellbeing are in danger. With out a doubt, some people may be worried that allowing torture may make way for several human rights violations. However, this is not the case, torture can be used with moral justification. Now the true questions is proposed; “Can torture ever be an acceptable form of acquiring information?” Regardless of what many people might believe, there is a large amount of evidence that suggests that torture can be, if done correctly, a very effective way of acquiring information needed for the safety of the general public. Take for example, the French military using several sorts of torture in Algeria. In 1956, the Algerian National Liberation Front started up a terrorist bombing campaign that often targeted the public. Because of said campaign, the French government initiated a counterinsurgency campaign in order to defeat the Algerian National Liberation Front. This campaign included a number of torture techniques witch were used a handful of times. With the use of these techniques and a highly powerful military, just month’s later France was victorious. This is very strong evidence from history that shows that it is indeed possible to use torture as an acceptable way to acquire information. (www.debate.org) Most people might say that torture is a violation of human rights. However, at times it is necessary to understand that said torture in proper context of defending the life of the innocent. When has it ever been questioned morally if a police officer shot someone down, that was attempting against the life of another person? No one will argue for the rights of the person allegedly attempting to kill or



Cited: “2010 Complete Election Coverage: Should America Torture?” Should America Torture? N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. Cheney, Richard B. "Enhanced Interrogation Helps Keep America Safe." Presidential Powers. Greenhouse Press. Detroit, MI. 2010, n.d. Web. Cox, Larry. "CIA Agents Used Torture And Should Be Prosecuted." Opposing View Points. Greenhouse Press. N.p., 2011. Web. "Statistics On Torture." PapBlog Human Rights Etc. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. "The United States Should Allow the Limited Use of Torture." Debate:. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013. "US: Torture and Rendition to Gaddafi 's Libya | Human Rights Watch." US: Torture and Rendition to Gaddafi 's Libya | Human Rights Watch. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2013.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The author Jonathan Alter has written essay titled:”time to think about torture.” Mr. alter refers to the time. It in the United States history as the: “autumn to of anger.” He describes multiple torture methods and gives examples in detail their uses. He refers to the time: Prior to September 11th, “hopelessly September 10th.” Mr. Altar explains that that era of time had many wrong assumptions about law and its enforcement in reference to terrorism. By a vote of 98 to 1 PM The Anti- terrorism bill was passed and history was made. Chief Justice Robert Jackson stated:”the Constitution is not a suicide pact. “This comment by the Chief…

    • 285 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Association for the Prevention of Torture. “Defusing the Ticking Bomb Scenario.” Current Issues and Enduring Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking and Argument, with Readings. Ed. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. New York: Bedford St. Martin’s, 2011. 836-851. Print.…

    • 927 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Getting your teeth pulled and fingers snapped for not letting the enemy know where the rest of your brigade is hiding, is a common torture tactic. In most cases you just want the pain to stop, so you give false information. This is why I feel ,no, torture should not be a tactic to retrieve information and should be abolished in this country. In the essay The Torture Myth written by Anne Applebaum, torture is discussed and evaluated by the writer. Applebaum focuses on whether torture is a good vice to gain information from a person and it is insinuated that she does not, based on her arguments in the essay. I too believe torture is not a humane nor moral way to obtain truthful information.…

    • 451 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    At some point everyone has heard of torture. It could have been in a movie or on the news, but they have heard of it. In this day and age, people would like to have believed it was all behind us in the past. Then 9/11 happened, everyone’s lives were changed with one simple act of cruelty. Before 9/11 hit the U.S. in a wave of pain, panic, and anger, our viewpoints on torture would probably have been less likely that it should be allowed. The decision to torture people who are suspected of being part of terrorist groups has always been decided by the government, for the simple reason that it is required to keep us safe from harm. Some people believe that torture is cruel, unsightly and just inhumane. On the other hand there are people who see it the same way but also believe it could be necessary in extreme circumstances. We’re going to look at two different points of torture: When it is acceptable and when it is not acceptable.…

    • 886 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The United States has always prided itself on being a country of freedom. A country with liberty and justice for all. How can we as a nation still pride ourselves on these virtues when we subject people to torture? Where does the line get drawn when we allow torture to be used? We look at the Constitutional rights and the Geneva Convention, as having rules which clearly frown upon the use of torture. However under the Patriot Act we have seen the use of powers under this act to allow the use of torture which contradict the Constitution and the Geneva Convention, which were intended to stop the use of torture, and this become an issue. Do we terminate the use of torture, or do we continue to use the cruel, inhumane, and degrading acts on captivated ‘terrorists’?…

    • 1840 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “The Truth about Torture,” Charles Krauthammer critically analyzes the John McCain, an individual with tremendous moral influence who was tortured by the North Vietnamese, amendment. This amendment would prohibit all forms of torture from being executed on war prisoners of America. In response, Krauthammer states that in certain scenarios, torture is not “just permissible, but also morally required.” He divides the war prisoners into the following three classifications: ordinary soldiers arrested on the battlefield, captured terrorists, and finally, terrorists who possess information. With regards to the ordinary soldiers, McCain’s amendment is justified because although these war prisoners are on the opposite side of the conflict, they are nonetheless lawful fighters who committed no crime. On the contrary, Krauthammer believes that the terrorists are not worthy of the same protection and privileges since they intend to harm innocent citizens.…

    • 497 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Should torture be once again instituted by American interrogators? No; torture is degrading, inhumane, and futile. Torture is a violation of human rights, and prohibited in international law (“Convention”). The use of waterboarding damages the American government’s credibility. The act should never…

    • 392 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Annotated bibliography

    • 664 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Evinger, B. (2011). Counterpoint: Using Torture is Illegal and Never Justified. Points Of View: Torture, 3.…

    • 664 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Law enforcement agencies and governments have long used torture to question criminals and terrorists. It is used to coax confessions or to find out any sort of information that may lead to the arrest or capture of other criminals. Although the torturing of prisoners in the United States is strictly prohibited by the constitution, the government started using the tactic waterboarding against terrorists. Although the government says waterboarding has led to prevention on mass terrorist attacks on U.S soil, it is not accepted by all of this country’s citizens. It is believed by certain people that waterboarding is torture and others do not believe it is. I believe this method is wrong and it is my goal to explore why the United States deemed this technique necessary and why I believe it is unconstitutional.…

    • 1342 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Tragedy In Torture

    • 1125 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Is the intentional pain that an individual experiences justified by the possibility of preserving the lives of many? Torture is the used as a weapon, but in reality does it work? The purpose of this essay is to identify what the motives are for using torture, the effectiveness of torture, and important issues or flaws with the entire process of torture.…

    • 1125 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Torturing Prisons

    • 1727 Words
    • 7 Pages

    "Torturing Prisoners in the War on Terror Is Never Justified."At Issue: How Should the United States Treat Prisoners in the War on Terror?. Lauri S. Friedman. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale.…

    • 1727 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Arguments Against Torture

    • 590 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Justifying the needs of implementing various methods of torture is strongly a recommended option to protecting America’s security and American citizens. While the debate of whether the use of torture is valid to protect the United States of America overall, supporters of the argument strongly argue that interrogating terrorists is only useful when various torture methods are involved. During one of the United States of America’s darkest periods in the nation’s history, the terrorists attack of September 11, 2001 rebooted the discussion of how various methods of torture are a justifiable means to not only place vengeance on the terrorists involved in the attacks on America’s soil. In the course of the aftermath of the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001, supporters of using various methods of torture during the interrogation process observed a central argument to prove their case. For example, if America’s security becomes unfortunately at risk of another terrorists attack, the nation could potentially protect Americans by implementing various methods of torture to only not question terrorists’ against their willpower.…

    • 590 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Why Torture Is Wrong

    • 933 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Torture has been a technique use by many nations in the world including the United States. Physically and psychologically damage captured people is what the government do when under attack. There were innocent victims along with attackers that got captured for terrorist and war interrogation. Terrorist attacks like September 11 are unpredictable and it then disturb every citizen’s everyday life. However, that should not be the reason to arrest suspects and torture them, sometimes to death, to get ahold of the true culprits.…

    • 933 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Getting Away with Torture

    • 7443 Words
    • 30 Pages

    undermined one of the most basic global standards governing how governments can treat people under their control. Contrary to the efforts of…

    • 7443 Words
    • 30 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    As Americans, as a nation founded on the basis of fundamental human rights, and equality for all, torture is an unacceptable and inexcusable act that degrades us as a nation and as individuals. It debases us and makes us scarcely better than those we condemn. Just as a rose by any other name will smell just as sweet, torture by any other name remains just as deplorable.…

    • 639 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics