Torture outcry again

[TeenageAngst]

I've been hearing more about the torture issue again regarding how we've been treating people we're capturing in Afghanistan and Iraq. The popular opinion is that it's wrong, gets no genuine results, and tarnishes our image. They think we're over there fighting the terrorists to defend our ideals, and by stooping to torture them we're letting them win. I can understand this logic unfortunately it often stops there. When you apply the same reasoning to most areas of the conflict you get similar results:

Have *any* of the actions we've done over there not tarnished our image?

Have *any* of the things we've done during these conflicts been in accord with our ideologies as a nation?

Have we done anything to actually dissuade the terrorists from attacking us?

What ends have we achieved that could justify any of the means we undertook?

If anyone knows, please tell me.

[God]

Have *any* of the things we've done during these conflicts been in accord with our ideologies as a nation?

killing poor brown people so rich people can get profitable contracts? sounds pretty american to me.

[Kirby]

Have we done anything to actually dissuade the terrorists from attacking us?

What do you suggest going to them and saying "Yo can you guys stop blowing people up because that would be just grade."

[TeenageAngst]

The more we kill the more hate we generate and the more once innocent civilians become terrorists. Usually because they have nothing left to live for or so they think. Obviously this cycle is only going to continue, the more of a "presence" we establish the more people we're gonna piss off.