How can torture provide security?

I have heard many people say that under certain circumstances torture is appropriate and necessary for security. A lot of intelligence experts think otherwise. How can torture provide security?

rickinnocal...What about the long term repercussions? Wouldn't such actions lead to further hatred and thus less security?

The alleged benefit is that you can extract INFORMATION from "terrorists" faster and better by TORTURE.

HOWEVER, a body of data dating back to the Spanish Inquisition states otherwise.

The Bush administration is out-of-line and MUST be made
to comply with RULE OF LAW!

Depends on the situation.

Trying to get 'general' information, or confessions, by torture, is worthless. People will say anything to make the torture stop.

The only time when torture IS effective is to obtain immediate operational intelligence.

For example..... You capture someone that you know is a terrorist. Torturing him to get him to tell you who his associates are is worthless. However, if you know that he's on his way back from hiding an IED under a bridge somewhere, torture often WILL make him tell you 'what bridge'.

Of course, you can always choose to question him politely about which bridge he planted the bomb under instead... you'll find out anyway when it blows up and kills a few dozen people.

Richard