Torture shall only be used to prevent future terrorist attacks and save lives. Keep in mind that the guy is a thug who makes his living by killing innocent civilians, not a POW.
Good point. The Japanese in WWII tortured American servicemen for no reason other than torture. No mercy for the cowards who kill civilians. I live 11 miles from Manhattan and saw the smoke everyday, not the same as watching a TV report.
It really depends on his character - his psychological profile. For some individuals, physical torture may work to the extent that it gets you a few pieces of information that you want - before you've either killed him or taken him so far that there's little more you can do to him that's very effective - but having a guy like KSM really opening up the floodgates and actively cooperating can be a lot better. The fact, for instance, that he was taken alive already may indicate a higher regard for his own interests than for his comrades and his cause. Even if that's not the case, he can over time be made to believe that it is. Even if he isn't completely "turned" by next week or next month or next year, he can be used effectively. You can isolate him, intimidate him, control all of the information he receives, deprive him of sleep, subject him unpredictably to extended, highly repetitious questioning sessions. You can bring him to the point where he would consider getting beaten up or having his fingernails ripped off or whatever to be a welcome distraction from his despair, boredom, and self-loathing. You can draw information out of him by gauging his reactions to certain statements, convince him that you can virtually read his mind anyway, make him unsure of what he really has or hasn't already revealed. In short, depending on whatever vulnerabilities you uncover, you can tempt him, threaten him, shake his commitment, or by many other means push him to physical and psychological breaking points, gain his cooperation against his will (or whatever is left of it) - without ever even bruising him.
His only value really, at this point to the USA, is information. I wouldn't be so quick to exterminate that information souce. My vision of extracting that information would be to get him drugged up into a post hypnotic suggestive state, send him to a palacial room with 72 virgins (if we could find that many) and make him think he has already died and gone to heaven. Then bring in Charlton Heston in makeup as Allah, and get him to brag about all that he had done, and where Osama and others are.
I don't think "the experts" think physical torture is more effective than not using physical torture in gaining usable information. If the goal is to punish, then physical torture may be more effective, but I don't think that should be the goal. However, psychological torture, aka "mind games" which is used by the CIA is legal under US law and has been shown to be fairly effective. Police do this to some extent with good cop bad cop. So my answer is Yes to the more effective types and No to the less effective types.
Yeah, that'll make a great movie. I want to play the role of "Satan" - Pitchfork in hand. We give him all the Drugs he wants, And quite a few he doesn't want. Oh this is gonna be fun. Lights, Camera, Action
Regale him 777's "drollery" ..that will break even the strongest will! (a flogging would be less painful!) ALICE