Traditionally, extraterritorial torture happens when a nation's laws prohibit the use of extremely painful methods to elicit information from a suspect.

While the brutalization of an innocent person may shock the untrained eye, from the federal government's perspective, national security supercedes protection of any suspect's well-being. Were the government able to do so, it would probably subject all citizens to regular interrogation, including torture if necessary, to insure that it obtains all possible knowledge of threats.

Human rights advocates will undoubtedly consider such a policy a gross violation of liberty, but Jefferson once remarked that the blood of patriots fertilizes as well as that of tyrants. Indeed, if you could save your country by doing so, would you not undergo mutilation and extreme psychological duress?