Roshan TadiBrattEnglish 1013/3/14Ethical Approach to TortureTorture, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, is the action of forcing a person to expose something thing through pain and suffering (“Definition of torture in English”, 1). This has been a very effective way of extracting information. The practice of torture was originally used on slaves to increase their productivity. This approach was later shown to be effective in forcing individuals to divulge information. Many civilizations have used this practice throughout history, each in their own way. The Greeks used a technique known as the brazen bull. This approach involved placing a victim in an iron bull and steaming them alive (Blinderman, 1). A very macabre and distressing approach but widely accepted at the time because it produced results. Torture, although a controversial topic today, should be acceptable because firstly, it can lead to the collection of crucial intelligence, secondly, it is a rapid approach to obtaining this information, and finally, it can be ethically sanctioned. Ex-President George W. Bush asserts: "Abu Zubaydah also provided information that helped prevent a planned terrorist attack inside the United States – an attack on which we had no prior information. » Abu Zubaydah was a senior al-Qaeda leader who was subjected to a simulated drowning (Luban, 1). Water boarding is a form of torture that simulates drowning. Through this form of torture, the United States was able to obtain vital information that helped prevent a bomber from decimating a bridge. Furthermore, the CIA was able to extract this information and incarcerate the criminal. Although many lives were saved, Bush was criticized for authorizing the use of torture. It... middle of paper ... is priceless. The effectiveness of torture can be seen in the capture of Zubaydah and the prevention of the "dirty bomber", José Padilla. Effectiveness has also been proven; he hypothetically saved many lives and prevented many publicly known conspiracies. Former Vice President Dick Cheney said in a 2009 speech that the "thorough interrogations" of detainees "prevented the violent deaths of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of innocent people" ("The Report of The Constitution Project's Task Force on Detainee Treatment”, 1). Since this has been deemed illegal by the UN, it must be done in secret. Accordingly, it cannot be inferred to what extent this procedure has been avoided since this information was classified. However, it is irrefutable that torture, in essence, is beneficial and must be accepted as a means of ensuring public safety..