June 24, 2008: Poll: 44 Percent of Americans Favor Torture for Terrorists

A poll shows that 53 percent of Americans believe torture should be unequivocally abolished, and 44 percent of Americans favor torture when dealing with terrorists. Thirteen percent say torture should be allowed in general. The poll was taken by WorldPublicOpinion.org, which is associated with the University of Maryland’s Program on International Policy Attitudes. US support for torturing terrorists has grown since 2006, when 36 percent favored the idea. Citizens in other countries were also polled about torture, and they generally show stronger opinions against torture. For instance, 82 percent in Britain, France, and Spain believe torture should be unequivocally abolished. [Deutsche Presse Agentur, 6/24/2008]