I assert that there is little "repeating of conventional wisdom" here on SWC. Most of the individuals who have been discussing these topics at length are professionals, with significant operational experience, much of it in the COE. You have yet to introduce yourself on this board.
Quote Originally Posted by astyanax
As for the strategic level, this apparently depends on what one is trying to do. If one is trying to rule by love, then this will have negative impacts. However, if one is trying to rule by fear, then it doesn't matter much one way or the other does it?
The days of colonialism are over. When we do intervene, as with Afghanistan and Iraq, "ruling" is overstating the case, and ruling by fear is not an option.

However, putting fear into the bad guys by effectively disrupting their networks, capturing and killing them is a different thing altogether.

When we discuss the "strategic level", we are referring to the world-wide impact of our actions. Even putting aside questions of tactical effectiveness, the use of torture by our troops, or our support (or even silent nodding approval) of the use of torture by our coalition partners, significantly detracts from our legitimacy as a beacon of representative democracy on the world stage. It puts any statements or complaints we make about human rights and other nations appear deeply hypocritical. It thus has a large negative impact upon our operational effectiveness and becomes an obstacle to effective foreign policy. Not to mention that it becomes a huge positive addition to the bad guys' IO campaign - which results in an increase in recruits and more civilians providing both passive and active support to their operational networks.


I perceive that you seem to have engaged in a bit of selective reading of the previous threads, where your two questions are most certainly answered. Also on those earlier threads, the subject of Algiers was discussed at length. Most tend to recognize tactical gain and strategic failure ensuing from the widespread use of torture in that campaign. Not to mention the deleterious effects it had upon the institution of the French miltary.

I caution you about approaching this subject with an agenda.