A Reuters poll this week found that 63% of Americans believe that the torture of terror suspects is justified. The poll was taken online from March 22-28, and included 1,976 Americans representing both major parties, as well as Independents.
Surprising no one, Republicans were most likely to favor torture. 82% described the internationally condemned practice as either “often” or “sometimes” justified. A slim majority of Democrats (53%) joined them.
The issue has been raised repeatedly during the primary season. High-profile jihadist attacks on Paris, San Bernadino, and Brussels have forced candidates and voters alike to reckon with the likelihood of more violence from the Islamic State. Republican front runner Donald Trump has enthusiastically endorsed torture, claiming he’d resume the controversial Bush-era practice of waterboarding along with “a hell of a lot worse.”
Trump also proposed the summary execution of terrorists’ families, citing the assumption that 9/11 hijackers’ hypothetical wives “knew what was happening.” Addressing international prohibitions on torture and collective punishment, Trump assured his followers that the military would follow any orders he gave regardless of the law. “If I say do it,” he quipped, “they’re gonna do it. That’s what leadership is all about.”
Trump faced immediate backlash from both sides of the aisle. An open letter from Republican security experts—including historically hawkish ones—called Trump’s embrace of torture “inexcusable.” He eventually equivocated, claiming that he would not give illegal orders. Instead, he now proposes that laws be broadened to allow Americans to engage in savagery more on par with that of ISIS.
Many may find Trump’s chest-thumping distasteful, but the Reuters poll confirms one thing: his position on torture largely reflects that of the public. Trump’s ability to harness economic frustration, latent bigotry, and general disdain for reason has carried him far with the radical right. In addressing the threat of terrorism, his appeal to American cowardice may have a far broader allure.
Featured image by Gage Skidmore via Attribution Share-Alike 2.0 Generic license
