US Citizens Attitude Towards Torture

These days there seems to be long periods between episodes of good news. Today, however, I've heard some of the best news I could. We've had good reason to doubt the wisdom of the electorate. I've always believed that the average American was not well informed, so particularly susceptible to the disinformation and propaganda we've seen come out of the Bush Administration. Now that I see this poll, its with great relief that I can say I'm convinced now that Americans still have an intact value system.
In a poll released last Monday by USToday finally asks the question I wanted to know the answer to: How does America feel about torture? Of the methods of torture listed, only sleep deprivation was considered acceptible by half of respondents. While its considered ok to assasinate known terrorists, killing leaders who support them is not acceptible. Using nuclear weapons is not considered acceptable. Ruled out overwhelmingly is the tactics highlighted at Abu Ghraib, forced nakedness chained uncomfortably in cold rooms, threatening with dogs, forcing heads under water, and transfering prisoners to regimes known to use torture is ruled out overwhelmingly.

USAToday

34. Would you be willing -- or
not willing -- to have the U.S. government do each of the following, if the
government thought it were necessary to combat terrorism?

A. Assassinate known
terrorists

	Willing	Not willing	No opinion
2005 Jan 7-9	65	33	2
2001 Oct 5-6	77	20	3

B. Assassinate leaders of
countries that harbor terrorists 

	Willing	Not willing	No opinion
2005 Jan 7-9	37	59	4
2001 Oct 5-6	52	45	3

C. Torture known terrorists
if they know details about future terrorist attacks in the U.S. 

	Willing	Not willing	No opinion
2005 Jan 7-9	39	59	2
2001 Oct 5-6	45	53	2

D. Use nuclear weapons to
attack terrorist facilities 

	Willing	Not willing	No opinion
2005 Jan 7-9	27	72	1
2001 Oct 5-6	34	64	2
Results based on 480 national adults in Form A.

35. Here is a list of possible
interrogation techniques that can be used on prisoners.  Do you think it is
right or wrong for the U.S. government to use them on prisoners suspected of
having information about possible terrorist attacks against the United States?

A. Forcing prisoners to
remain naked and chained in uncomfortable positions in cold rooms for several
hours

	Right	Wrong	No opinion
2005 Jan 7-9	18	79	3

B. Having female
interrogators make physical contact with Muslim men during religious observances
that prohibit such contact

	Right	Wrong	No opinion
2005 Jan 7-9	12	85	3

C. Threatening to transfer
prisoners to a country known for using torture

	Right	Wrong	No opinion
2005 Jan 7-9	35	62	3

D. Threatening prisoners
with dogs

	Right	Wrong	No opinion
2005 Jan 7-9	29	69	2

E. Strapping prisoners on
boards and forcing their heads underwater until they think they are drowning

	Right	Wrong	No opinion
2005 Jan 7-9	16	82	2

F. Depriving prisoners of
sleep for several days

	Right	Wrong	No opinion
2005 Jan 7-9	49	48	2
Results based on 528 national adults in Form B.