Poll: Can torture ever be justified?

 

Independent Voices
Thursday 11 December 2014 17:48 GMT
Comments
Prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, where the first detainees arrived at the camp 10 years ago today
Prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, where the first detainees arrived at the camp 10 years ago today (PA)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The release of the CIA ‘torture report’ has received widespread condemnation, both in the USA and around the world.

Despite being heavily censored, it revealed that the US had used brutal “enhanced interrogation” techniques, and to no effect. These techniques included waterboarding, "rectal feeding" and detainees being made to stand on broken limbs.

However, the criticism hasn’t been universal. Writing for Fox, former US Army officer Ralph Peters said of the practices: “They may have been harsh, but the times and our enemies were and are immeasurably harsher”.

But do you think torture can ever be justified? Let us know by taking our poll below:

@willrworley

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in