1. USA is signatory to some treaties that forbid torture under all conditions. If we expect others to honor their treaty obligations, we need to honor hours. I am speaking to treaties other than the Geneva Conventions.

2. I object not much for what torture does to the victims in this case, since they are terrorist bastards from Al Qaeda and Taliban, but for what it does to the interrogators. After doing it for a while, no self-respecting garbage can would have them. I certainly would not want such persons for neighbors.

3. It makes the USA look really bad.

Oh, by the way. Do you recall what the UK did after the IRA murdered Lord Louis Mountbatten? It makes our treatment of prisoners at Gitmo look like a Sunday-School picnic. On the other hand, it finally broke the IRA's will to continue fighting and brought about the cease-fire, so it was not without positive benefit.

David F Mayer