The Cause for Torture

In Michael Levin's essay, "The Case for Torture", he argues that although torture might not seem morally acceptable, it is indeed necessary at times. In the movie "Wanted", there is a similar idea shared by an elite league of assassins, which is, "Kill one, save a thousand". This might seem like a harsh idea, but this is essentially what Levin is saying in his essay. He isn't saying that we should just kill/torture whenever we see fit, but when there is no other option and time is of the essence and the lives of innocents are at stake, then drastic measure have to be taken. I agree with Levin, particularly because of the analogy that he gives with the mothers and their newborn babies. Personally, I know if anyone kidnapped or hurt my family, there wouldn't be many things that I wouldn't be willing to do in order to ensure their safety. I don't believe that I am the ultimate judge, and I don't think that Levin believes this either (I believe that God is our judge and ultimately He will make the decisions), but the "torture" that he is referring to isn't on the grounds of vengeance or "justice", instead it is for the safety of others, done in particular when the tortured party's crime is going to harm many innocent victims.