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Economist: U.S. More Permissive Of Torture Than China

Economist: U.S. More Permissive Of Torture Than China: "Six in 10 Americans approve of having an international convention saying that 'governments should never use physical torture' as a means of trying to get information, while 39 percent say such a ban is too restrictive, according to a new WorldPublicOpinion.org/Knowledge Networks poll.

A majority also opposes nearly all methods for coercing detainees to give information, even when it might be critical to stopping a terrorist attack against the US. Respondents were presented a scenario in which a detainee is being held who is likely to have 'information about a possible terrorist attack on the US that may prove critical to stopping the attack.' They were then presented a series of methods for coercing the respondent to reveal the information."

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