You should read up on the Vietnam war and what they were doing to us. They were playing dirty, but the media was there to make sure we were playing by the books. They didn't cover what the Vietkongs were doing to us. When they are setting dirty traps for our troops left and right, what do you do? How many thousands of people have to die before we decide that we need to change our approach on things? That's another thing... We are so damn worried about being the better person, that we lose track of what we are doing. If we see someone with a gun, instead of shooting, we have to get shot before we can shoot at them. In the states, if a LEO sees someone with a guy (out of the holster and in someone's hand) he legally has the right to stop that threat. In the military arena, if someone has a guy and is holding it, you cannot shoot. Even if he shoots at you you cannot shoot back. (Reference the pirate hijacking) Politics and "being the better man." Like I said before, at what point do we have to stop being the better guy and start taking care of business? The difference between waterboarding and tortue is kind of like the difference between using a taser vs an ASP. After the guy has been tased, there is no damage to him, other than where the probes went in. As with using an ASP, there is going to be some serious damage afterwards. Both are on the same scale on the use of force continium.