Torture is the tool of tyrants to get AGREEMENT, not to get Truth.
When we debate the so-called "efficacy of torture", we play into the hands of the tyrants who use torture as their tool.
We must get this clear: Tyrants torture for other reasons that have NOTHING to do with finding out the truth in any given situation! TYRANTS TORTURE BECAUSE A FORCED CONFESSION --FALSE AS IT IS -- ALWAYS SERVES THE TORTURER.
For example, when Bush tortures the innocent to give a false cofession that they are a terrorists, it gives Bush alot: Bush can say he is successful and captured terrorists; Bush can use it as fuel to cause fear of 'bad guys' in the People; Bush can use it justify repressing everyone. In other words, it is a cornerstone for all his schemes of Tyranny.
Key here is that we must NOT debate the phony claims of "usefulness" of any variety of torture made by the Bush Administration!....
....Because torture is NOT useful to anyone but the tyrant! (Indeed, Civilization has rejected torture based not on usefulness, but because it is inhumane and cruel, corrupt and sick!) When Bush calls torture an interrogation "technique", he is using language as a subterfuge to encourage this phony debate where DEBATE IS NOT DESERVED! (Note that the Inquisition made inquiries that included torture; now Bush uses torture and calls it interrogation. The "inquisitor", the "interrogator". What's the difference?)
Tyrants torture as a tool to reach their goals:
o Tyrants torture to consolidate their wealth by confiscating the wealth of others. It was done this way during the Inquisition. Lands, property, wealth of the tortured were confiscated after the false confession was attained. (Note, Bush already has made a proclamation (executive order or presidential directive) that to be arrested as an "extremist" means the forfeiture of all one's wealth/property! And anyone who helps the accused will also have their wealth/property confiscated!)
o Tyrants torture to destroy and intimidate the opposition and do away with competition. During the Inquisition even Christians were tortured and forced to "confess" heresy if the tyrants wanted these competitors out of the way. Tyrants consolidate their power though torture.
o Tyrants torture to create intolerance for diversity, thereby creating the perception of enemies out of mere differences, and use that intolerance to control the populace through emotion. This power over the populace is like a hypnotism.
o Tyrants torture to increase COMPLIANCE through fear. (Who knows who will be falsely accused next?)
oTyrants torture because they enjoy it. They are sadistic.
Tyrants who torture want this: The false confession they request of the tortured for the reasons above. Torturers do NOT seek the Truth at all!
This is the how the witch hunt is used with all the torture it entails. Must Americans learn the lesson again, like they learned prior to the formation of this nation with the likes of the Salem Witch Trials?
The torture of the Bush Administration is another example of the ugly methods of those who rule only by FORCE (as opposed to those who come to govern because they have better ideas and up-standing character!).
(In addition, the Bush Tyranny is also claiming divinity: Bush says "God" talks to him, and believes "God" has chosen him (Bush), and therefore, he (Bush) must be a divine ruler. At least it must seem so to his loyal and religious following! Bush has essentially removed separation of church and state and conducts a quasi-religious presidency. It should be no surprise that such a political and religious lunatic would be the heir of the heinous method of torture used so many times in the past.
We Citizens must remember: The topic of Torture can't be debated. Torture is the tool of the insane, corrupt and cruel. It is undebateable. To debate the Undebateable is to be manipulated, is to be pulled into that insanity.