So a noble purpose is no justification for torture, especially when the nobility of the cause is in question. I agree, but when you say It's because our motives are "pure as the driven slush!", you're saying our acts of "information gathering" are corrupt and underhanded? Or are the motives you're talking about, those that took us to war in the first place?

In Abu Ghraib, for instance, people were tortured for the fun of it

I agree. Do you feel Abu Ghraib was more than an aberration? Were they instructed to photograph and video the torture?

The US also tortures the innocent to get confessions, thereby covering the asses of the detaining parties.

Really?

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Our first preemptive war, should be our last. An amendment is in order to prevent any future administration from making the same blunder.

Abu Ghraib aside, I'm not sure but, some forms of "torture" might be justified. I know, how can the "good guys" degrade themselves and their country by adapting the methods of their enemy.

Warfare and it's rules have evolved and unfortunately our self-image, because of these changes, has become a casualty of our own actions.
If we can't beat them, looks like we'll be joining them.....