Torture as a Strategy of War - 795 Words

The use of torture as a strategy of war is as old as war itself. Torture serves a number of different functions. One of those functions is punishment for crimes committed, and torture is still used in this way to some degree. Another one of the functions of torture is to extract information or confessions. It is this type of torture that Alan Dershowitz and Ken Roth claim was, and still is, being used in the war against terrorism. Although torture violates the principles of the Geneva Convention, it is still used: countries all over the world violate the Geneva Accords. They do it secretly, (Dershowitz, cited in Dershowitz: Torture could be justified). The use of torture can be as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to be done openly, with accountability, with approval by the president of the United States or by a Supreme Court justice, (Dershowitz, cited in Dershowitz: Torture could be justified). This stance echoes the official stanc e of the United States after September 11, when the White House claimed that torture may be justified (Priest and Smith). The argument is simple: if torturing one person leads to information that saes hundreds or thousands of lives, then it is worth it. We wont know if he is a ticking-bomb terrorist unless he provides us information, and hes not likely to provide information unless we use certain extreme measures, (Dershowitz, cited in Dershowitz: Torture could be justified).Show MoreRelatedHow Do Foreign Affairs During Vietnam Justify Public Or Private Tactical Behavior?1633 Words   |  7 Pagesquestion: To what degree is torture valuable? How do foreign affairs in Vietnam justify public or private tactical behavior. T.S. Eliot: â€Å"There is no such thing as a Lost Cause, because there is no such thing as a Gained Cause.† Growth and power come paired with conflict and danger. The United States must use interrogation to ensure the safety of its citizens. A history of torture to get information is prominent between many nations, however the use of such interrogation is often kept private fromRead MoreFrench Counterinsurgency Failures in the Algerian War of 1954-621534 Words   |  7 Pagesinsurgents to emerge the victors of the Algerian War of 1954-1962. To understand why this occurred, it is imperative to examine how French military arrogance, political arrogance, and a failure to use military and political capabilities in combination doomed the French to defeat at the hands of the Algerians. Before beginning an in-depth examination of French failures, it is necessary to provide background information regarding the years preceding the Algerian War. 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