As will said, torture is unacceptable, always.
I read something in the NYTimes today that caught my eye. They were talking to the Dalai Lama about the violence in Tibet, and he commented on China. Specifically, he outlined what his idea of a superpower is.
Quote:
He complimented Beijing for having met three out of four conditions to be a “superpower” — he acknowledged it has the world’s largest population, military prowess, and a fast-developing economy.
“Fourth, moral authority, that’s lacking,” he said.
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If we're supposed to be a superpower, we severely compromise our moral authority (if we had it to begin with) when we torture. It's an enormous violation of human rights (not that the United States has ever respected human rights).