"So, Clint, how would YOU extract information from a suspected terrorist? Just ask him nicely?"

Same way cops are supposed to extract information from a suspected murderer or rapist. "Suspected" isn't "guilty".

I recall hearing about a Brazilian who was arrested on grounds of being a member of some anti-government organization and interrogated rather roughly by the police. He wasn't a member until shortly after he was released and then he joined up. I hear that's happened in Ireland, and no doubt in many places. That's certainly the way I'd react.

You seem to have switched from "It isn't torture" to "Torture is OK." It's not. And in case ethics mean nothing to you, expert interrogators say torture is ineffective. The victims say whatever will stop the physical or mental pain. There's lots of people who admitted to flying to a witch's sabbat in the old days. Some people doubt the validity of their testimony now.

clint