Let us back track to the stories of the horror that gripped the United States on September 11, 2001. Almost every American can recall stories of the deadly attack that shook the country in ways that remain vividly in the minds of many persons. Now, take a look at the global news as countries such as France and Belgium have tasted the horror that gripped the United States in 2001. It is clear that terrorists continue to wreak havoc on the whole world. These terrorist attacks occur all over the world and despite the fact that no attack has been made on the United States since the 2001 attacks, many persons remain hurt by these attacks as they have families and friends living in these countries. The humanitarian and the constitutional laws continue to protect these sadists and have argued against the use of torture as an interrogation tool to extract information from suspects. The truth is that torture can be effective as suspects will not want to endure the cruelty that occurs during some of these sessions. The victims and the citizens continue to suffer endlessly because their perpetrators will never face justice because of their silence in the interrogations and the constitutional laws that prohibits torture. Despite these common arguments that torturing during interrogations goes against the rights of the perpetrator, the truth is that torture is justified when there is a threat to the security of the nation.
The Bush administration led the war against terrorism and the truth is that this war was and still is justified as terrorists continue to pose a deadly threat to the world. The acts of terrorism are no longer confined to the “war zones” but have spread across countries such as Belgium, France and the United States. People continue to live in fear as they wake each day to the new and horrifying stories that these terrorist have struck again. For other persons, they wake with the unease that maybe just maybe; their country may be the next on the list of terrorist attacks. These terrorists have been very clear in their actions as no country is immune to these vicious attacks. People have the right to be very afraid because of these threats, and they also have the right to be protected against all acts of terrorism. The truth though is that no one should have to live with these fears and the horror that comes with hearing that thousands of persons have died or injured while going to work because one group in the society decided that it us their time to die.
Torture provides the ideal means of getting information from those persons who choose to play God with the lives of innocent victims. Of course one would argue that by torturing a criminal, the law enforcers are acting in a similar manner to the criminals. But, this is absurd. Criminals or terrorists have broken the sacred vow of preserving life and therefore they should bear treatment that suits their evil actions. The government in every country reserves the right to protect the citizens from any and every form of danger. Therefore, it is only fair that the government find the suspects who are likely to pose future threats to the country and use force to get the information that will keep the citizen safe from future attacks. Based on the 2014 polls carried out by Adam Goldman and Peyton Craighill, the majority of the American citizens believe that the harsh interrogation technique that the CIA employed after the September 11, 2001 were justified despite the fact that the treatment is labeled as torture (Goldman & Craighill 1). The number of people who agree with the measure is significant as it reflects the common belief that citizens must be protected from criminal activities because they need to feel safe and protected in their country.
Information is vital in the “war against terrorism” and suspects can provide this valuable information. Many of these terrorists hide among the civilian population and bear no distinctive marks that label them as terrorists. When law enforcers gather information that a specific person is connected to acts of terrorism against the country, they must take every precaution to protect the innocent victims of the country. Advocates on human rights will argue that Geneva Conventions, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Convention against Torture has placed a ban on the use of torture or any degrading treatment of persons. But, these persons hide behind the cloak of the human rights organizations and terrorize the society. There is no moral argument to justify the cruelty of terrorism and those who commit these acts must be forced to provide information that will protect the society. The information provided under is valuable as the perpetrator will resist these measures initially, but as the pressure increases and they face absolute pain and the fear of death, they will eventually be forced to provide information that can lead to the prevention of future acts.
In concluding, torture is cruel and inhumane, but so too is the act of terrorism and violence against innocent victims. The government has the right to protect the innocent citizens in the country from acts of terrorism and acts that will place the citizens at risk. If torture is the way to stop terrorist attacks against the country, then there should be no question about its use. The method can be effective as the intense pain will force persons to speak the truth. Attacks such as those committed in 2001 should not be repeated and in these instances the government should take every step to prevent these actions. The citizens are important and should be allowed to live their lives without fear. The common occurrence of terrorist attacks on different countries must be stopped. But, this will not be possible if these perpetrators or suspected perpetrators do not understand that they will face severe actions if they are caught. Torture is the means that will help to deter acts of terrorism. Therefore, torture is justifiable when it seeks to protect the rights of the innocent citizen.
References
Goldman, Adam & Craighill, Peyton, New poll finds majority of Americans think torture was
justified after 9/11 attacks, (2014) The Washington Post, Web 2 Apr 2016 <https://www.washingtonpost.com>/world/national-security/new-poll-finds-majority-of-americans-believe-torture-justified-after-911-attacks/2014/12/16/f6ee1208-847c-11e4-9534-f79a23c40e6c_story.html>
