Letter: Threats of torture should remain an option

Monday, Dec. 31, 2007 | 1:33 a.m.

Albert Marquis' Thursday letter lambasting the United States for its occasional use of torture exemplifies a very narrow and naive belief that the world will look up to us if we just turn the other cheek. Al-Qaida was mercilessly beheading its captives long before the word "waterboarding" became chic among liberal intellectuals. I can assume that Mr. Marquis will be at the head of the line demanding to know why our government didn't know about the next terrorist attack on the United States when (not if) it happens.

Second - and don't get me wrong; the use of any kind of torture should be the very last resort in very special cases - before condemning all torture, has Mr. Marquis really thought about the "threat" of torture as a deterrent? Not everyone does what is right and good because it is his nature.

Do people stop at stop signs because they enjoy the delay or do they recognize a negative consequence (collision or a ticket)? Are most Christians good by nature or do some live a decent life at least in part because of negative consequences (hell)? Negative consequences, real or perceived, are effective motivators.

We should not use torture as a matter of policy. That is morally wrong and I agree with Mr. Marquis. However, if we maintain the option of torture in very select cases, the fear generated in the mind of the detainee may cause him to be more cooperative to avoid his perceived inevitable negative consequence.

Perhaps his fear of what lies beyond the next door will yield more effective and timely intelligence than his knowing, because of our "moral high ground," that the other side of the door merely yields three meals a day and time to read his religious literature. Publicly banning all torture as policy takes away one more tool to counter the actions of some very, very bad people in this world. Whether we actually do it or not, well, let the bad guys wonder what is on the other side of the door.

J.J. Schrader, Henderson