The use of torture to gain information - right or wrong?

[Nixt]

There has recently been a lot of controversy regarding America's extraordinary rendition and the use of water boarding. America claims that torture is sometimes necessary to gain key information vital to national security, but what do you think? Should government agencies be allowed to use torture and under what circumstances?

[e5]

Not sure really, if it was serious information that could help the world itself and someone was keeping it hidden and would refuse to say then i'd say the use of torture could be applied. Only in serious circumstances though as torture is a terrible thing (obviously) and only if this information is something serious that could destroy something important or whatever :).

[Virgin Mary]

Um if it was something like (hypothetically speaking) someone knew about the 9/11 hijackings and what was going to happen then they should be tortured to get information. I think if someone is willing to let that happen to people then they probably deserve to be tortured.

[Dan2nd]

I think they should have evidence that the person in question is involved first... we had someone who was held as a prisoner at guantanamo bay come in and do a talk at college it was extreamly emotional and interesting. He said he was ripped away from him family while on holiday at Pakistan because of his skin colour and religion he was then locked in a small cage which was six feet high and four feet wide for three years! He didn't know the day or time so actually didn't know he'd been there that long until he'd got out.... but for those three years he was starved for days on end and thought he'd never see his family again that was until the Uk authorities managed to save him.... still to this day he hasn't received an apology from the US and he still doesn't know why they took him there....

[RedStratocas]

no. not because i feel bad, but because it doesnt work. especially with muslim extremists. they believe what they're doing is a great thing, so no matter what you do to them they won't tell. you only risk doing it to people who don't know anything.

[jrh2002]

I think that torture is needed under some circumstances but without knowing the ins and outs of cases we dont know how often torture has helped stop attacks or solve big criminal investigations.

I do however think instead of spending millions following these terrorists around the country we should let the SAS pick them off one by one and make it look like gang attacks etc ;) and torture them for good measure.

[GhostFace-]

well what if the person realy doesnt know and the government is torturing the person and they cant stop it.

[-=-Me-=-Me-=-]

well its a very hit and miss situation you would need to actually torture them to find out if they know anything or not then.....
i would have to say under the circumstances like
maybe each country should have a councle for torture (lol) because like getting codes for nuclear weapons about to explode torture is ok
but to find out were they hid the cookie jar not so much needed there