English Coursework Torture

“Power without morality is a prescription for disaster”-Karen Greenberg. 

Torture is an act of inflicting pain on someone to try to get useful information. The brutality of torture has inspired me to document my own thoughts and feelings about its use. As a western citizen myself, I feel that my own people are damaging our image in the world. America is a superpower, and should be setting a good moral example. Whilst I understand that torture is used to get information out of terrorists, in my opinion its use is morally and ethically wrong and even more importantly it is ineffective. Also torture is a humiliating way to respond to a situation that needs dealing with. In this essay I will be discussing how torture is used in the wrong way. The use of torture should be abolished. It has killed too many people and needs to be stopped before its gets out of hand. The victims of torture will want to gain revenge as a consequence of being treated as the enemy. This will escalate on and on until another war. Would we risk another world war for something as horrific as torture?

The lasting legacy of Abu Ghraib is a scar that can never be erased in terms of our relation with the Muslim world. The information obtained through horrible torturing and continuous inhuman interrogation has not been valuable to get reliable information. Instead it has worsened our situation, and has increased more terrorism in all corners of the world. In fact, torture takes place in the majority of countries in the world – as many as 90% of countries. I think this fact is truly shocking and unacceptable.The fact that torture takes place in 90% of the world is a very alarming and must be lowered immediately or there will be serious consequences. If the world is bad enough already, why should there be torturing of innocent people across the world.

Today, more than ever, terrorists are inflicting acts of terrorism, particularly in the western world. For example, they are putting massive pressure on the western governments to pump in huge amounts of money for police to patrol the streets. For instance, in the streets of London and Paris, more and more police are having to be placed. The people in these cities are more vigilant in their everyday life, be it work or leisure. Some believe a terrorist attack is imminent and people are becoming increasingly anxious. So, how has humiliating Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay torturing improved the way we live and our peace? Is it not time that we thought twice about putting in place much more effective solutions to the existing problem? The truth is, that torture is not effective and that it’s use kills many humans.

Why do the superpower countries feel the need to torture? More recently the use of torture has been used especially in America. The CIA released information about their use of “enhanced interrogation” techniques. These acts were being used on Al-Qaeda terrorists following the 9/11 attacks on the US. I, for one think that this is absolutely terrible and shocking behaviour by the American government. Some of the interrogation techniques used were sleep deprivation, confinement in small spaces, slapping and water boarding – (simulated drowning). How disgraceful! Even though the 9/11 attacks were unacceptable, America should not resort to torture. I think this is the most humiliating way to respond. America should have called for peace but certainly torture is not the way forward. For a country as powerful as America this is disgraceful and should be ought to be ashamed of themselves as a country.How can you torture any citizen in this world? If these outrageous act happened to the American people they would not like it. Hence, why does America feel the need to torture other human beings?

Overall, I believe that torture should never be used, it is breaking the human rights of the people being brutally hurt. Furthermore, it is not morally the right thing to do. The use of torture should be abolished from any civilized society. It is unacceptable and no human deserves to be treated this way. So once and for all torture should be abolished from all parts of the world, then this world would be full peace and civilized people, wouldn’t any human want a world like this?