Re: Jan. 15 Greg Dobbs column.
Greg Dobbs should be commended for the thoughtful shift in his position on torture. The use of torture is not supported scientifically or morally. No research shows that it is effective in eliciting reliable information, and many anecdotal reports show that it is ineffective. More importantly, it is morally repugnant. It violates the ethics of every profession devoted to understanding human behavior. (e.g., American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association). Further, it lowers our standards for human decency and makes it more likely that the victims will retaliate.
If torture advocates are ignoring both science and morality, what are their motivations? They are more likely to be personal than policy. Such as vengeance. Or sadism.
W. Charles Lobitz, Denver
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