Whether the prisoner can be tortured to obtain the information needed - Essay Example

Torture and Prisoners of War Al Qaeda terrorists should not be tortured for information. It does not matter if the information could save one life. Who cares if the American military saves a million lives, if the Americans become worse than the terrorists they seek? Laws and regulations must exist in a civilized society. If the military starts torturing prisoners, the next step would be to torture American defendants. Terrorists can not be labeled as Prisoners of War. Prisoners of War are defined as combatants carry arms, wearing a uniform or having a rank captured by an enemy army.

Terrorists are a group of people dedicated to a cause who perform an unconventional act of violence against civilians for political gain. While Prisoners of War can be held without answering any questions except for name, rank and serial number, terrorists are criminals. Terrorists need to be captured and brought to trial. If American troops capture the terrorist, they need to be sent back to American to be tried. If a foreign government or army captures a terrorist, the American government should follow the extradition laws of the foreign government.

In the case of the captured number two Al Qaeda terrorist, he should be questioned. If he refuses to talk, this terrorist must be sent to a federal prison to await trial. He should not be tortured, but the terrorist does not necessarily have the rights of an American citizen. That means they can be held in the comfort of a federal prison for an undetermined length of time, until a trial can be arranged. That is not torture. Torture is defined as anything that causes pain to punish or coerce.

It would be unethical to withhold medical attention from a terrorist. The use of beating, punching or any other physical means of torture would also be wrong. It is also wrong to withhold food and water from a prisoner. Now psychological torture is different. Loud noises, bright lights, isolating a prisoner or even having the prisoner remain nude is humane. Americans employ these methods against unruly prisoners in America. These psychological methods will not permanently harm a terrorist.

So they could be used against the number two Al Qaeda man to find out information. Victims and the victim’s families of 9/11 might disagree with giving a terrorist any rights. If the 9/11 tragedy could have been prevented by torture, some would argue that the means would justify the end. In a perfect world this argument would be true. If American Intelligent was a perfected science, where the military would know which terrorists had information. Torture might be the answer. On the other hand, American Intelligent is not perfect.

Without a trial, an innocent person could be tortured, maybe even to death. Some might contend one dead innocent foreigner does not matter. The truth is no human life is more valuable than another one, whatever the nationality. Another possibility to look at would be American Prisoners of War. Al Qaeda, other terrorists organizations or even other countries could contend that since America tortures prisoners, why treat American POW or prisoners any differently? If the American policy was to torture terrorists, any American abroad that was captured would be fair game.

America does not negotiate with terrorists. We have enacted this policy to prevent more attacks. This policy is in place to show the futility of terrorism. Terrorists are criminals and should be treated as such. Americans do not torture criminals. We prosecute criminals, then if they are found guilty they receive the appropriate punishment. Al Qaeda wants to destroy American society. Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups want anarchy in America. To undermine the terrorists’ goals, Americans must stick to laws.

Justice should be for everyone, not just Americans, or there will be no justice. .