"On one hand, you suggest the average, ordinary people who are prisoners in Guantanamo were forced into their acts by the Taliban, then you say they brought it upon themselves. Which is it?"

NicoleC, not a bit of it,I really do not give a fig for those who executed people and enforced the Taleban rule, they have brought it on themselves.

It was the people who were forced to live under the taleban rule not enforce it are the people I'm referring to and I think you know that.

The "can't we all get along" sentiment does not work, too many justify their actions for taking life, from freedom fighters to religious zealots, or those who want everyone to toe the party line.

"If we resort to the same evil acts when we DO have a choice, then we are no better than our "enemy," and the enemy has won."

What are you suggesting here, if we say took up the same tactics as our enemy then the enemy has won? Adaptation and playing the enemy at their own game won many conflicts,the torturing of prisoners is not a new phenomenon,and is not a useless as some say it is.

"CIA director George Tenet has said that interrogations overseas have yielded results.
"Almost half of our successes against senior al-Qaeda members have come in recent months," he said in a speech earlier this month"

If you read the report you will have noticed the last paragraph, harsh conditions but not beaten, Which is it harsh or tortured?

I agree that it is barbaric to torture people, but if it has to be done and if it saves lives then it is worth it. In the context of the War on Terror when we have Bin Laden terrorising the World any method to get intelligence is all right by me.