I got the impression that you consider life-and-death to be the ultimate terminal value.
In the West we forbid governments from torturing but not from killing. Our laws consider the value of not torturing to be higher than not killing.
When we act in a way to accept deaths for preventing torture we are trading of values against each other.
I oppose torture too, even if death penalty is worse. In the West, death penalty is actually disappearing. The only exception that still gives the West a bad name is the U.S., which by now should stand for "Usual Suspect."
If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post (even in Discussion), then it goes here.
Previous Open Thread
Notes for future OT posters:
1. Please add the 'open_thread' tag.
2. Check if there is an active Open Thread before posting a new one. (Immediately before; refresh the list-of-threads page before posting.)
3. Open Threads should be posted in Discussion, and not Main.
4. Open Threads should start on Monday, and end on Sunday.