The Case for Torture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Case for Torture - Essay Example Similar scenario is drawn about a bomb on a jet with hundreds of passenger’s lives at stake and unless information about the bomb is made available, the bomb will explode and kill thousands. Another scenario asked a few mothers if torture is justified for a person who has kidnapped their baby. The logic and reasoning used by Levine is that false sense of ethics should be set aside when the lives of innocent people are at stake. His further justification is that in most cases, victims of terrorist’s attacks are innocent people who have done nothing to offend a terrorist. They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. On the other hand, the criminal carries out pre mediated terror attacks for profit or to fulfill some religious zeal. In any case, the terrorist is willing to die in his attempt. In such an instance, law enforcers should keep aside their false sense of ethics and torture the criminal to extract a confession that will save lives. On first reading, the essay of Levine seems logical and his arguments sensible. If torture and pain can extract and yield information that helps to save lives, then it should be done. However, one is not sure if torture will work on suicidal terrorists who are ready to blow themselves for a religious cause. Assuming torture is applied and the criminal dies from the pain, then the only lead available is wasted. Modern medicines and truth serums help to obtain the required information without torture. This method is used regularly to extract the deepest hidden information from criminals and terrorists. There is always the fear that an indoctrinated terrorist will continue to tell lies even under torture. Another very serious point is as to who will decide when torture is justified and if there is any graded procedure that can be used. If police officers and investigating officers decide that they feel torture is justified