The scenario of the ticking bomb is precisely the one least likely to be solved by torture. The individual in custody is presumed to be highly committed to the attack. He or she knows that by just waiting long enough, the attack will occur and the mission will succeed.

It's exactly the same as all those World War II movies where the hero is interogated by the bad guys but does not reveal the time and place of the DDay landings.

Members of the American military collectively have a strong respect for the Christian religion as a contributing element to Western civilization and values. Those familiar with Christianity and its early history of persecutions and saints should be able to respect the tremendously powerful draw that martyrdom has had on some individuals and that being tortured, in some contexts and mindsets, can amplify an individual's sense of rightious self-sacrifice. Roman occupiers tortured a lot of Christian insurgents, which had the effect of strengthening the insurgency.