The idea that torture has never led to vital information is false. Torture, for example, as used by Jacques Massu's paratroopers during the Battle of Algiers in '56-'57 was vital in gaining instant and time sensitive intelligence on FLN cells. I have written more on torture during the Algerian War here. However, it is worth noting that the use of torture in counterinsurgency, while sometimes being effective in retrieving information, has more often than not led to unintended negative effects. In the case of the Algerian War, for example, it led to a widespread condemnation in France while turning more Algerians over to the insurgents due to the amount of abuses they had to endure by the French soldiers.

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