Instances Where Torture Could Be Justified

Name: Professor’s Name: Course: Date: Justified Torture? There have discussions and accusations levelled against the U.S. government with regards to torture. It has been said that the U.S. government secretly tortures some of its suspects. This accusation led to a public debate with people divided over the course of action especially when the suspect at hand is believed to withhold crucial information. In the U.S., Wike writes that “the U.S. is among the most likely to consider torture justifiable.” Globally, the opinion varies as Wike notes. As per a survey of 38 nations, Wike reports that “a median of 45% across the countries polled said they did not believe use of torture by their governments against suspected terrorists to try to gain information about possible attacks in their country could be justified.” This was against 40% who believed there are instances where torture could be justified. The question one is forced to ask is: which are the said instances where torture could be justified? But even when these instances are revealed, is torture really justifiable in this day and age? Well, this article seeks to drive the point that torture is never justifiable and below is an elucidation of why it can never be an option. First, it is the responsibility of world leaders to set a precedence to their citizens. A leader’s capacity to lead is enhanced when he or she is seen embracing and acting in integrity. The consistency of a leader in condemning acts of injustice is crucial. So, world leaders have to be consistent in upholding the rule of law and respecting the bill of rights. Countries all over the world look up to the world leaders like China, the U.S., the UK, Russia, Germany, Canada, among others. So, if these countries consider torture justifiable, other countries may follow suit and eventually innocent people may suffer the same fate as the guilty. So, as leaders, it is up to these countries to set a precedence of integrity and justice for the other countries to follow. Secondly, information retrieved as a result of torture may not be reliable, and torture can serve as a tool of spearheading extremism against leadership or a country. For a big country like the U.S., torture should not be among the list of options as it can help in the recruitment of extremists who may, in turn, be used to act against the U...