---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Torture gives you reliable and unreliable…"
description: "\"Torture gives you reliable and unreliable information. That's the reason why most people in the world don't do it. So this idea that you have to tortur..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/john-mccain-465_argument_torture-gives-you-reliable-and-unreliabl_346824.jpg"
---

#  Torture gives you reliable and unreliable information…

![“Torture gives you reliable and unreliable information. That's the reason why most people in the world don't do it. So this idea that you have to torture people in order to protect national security is a false argument, and I reject it.” quote by John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/john-mccain-465_argument_torture-gives-you-reliable-and-unreliabl_346824.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/john-mccain-465_argument_torture-gives-you-reliable-and-unreliabl_346824.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/john-mccain-465_argument_torture-gives-you-reliable-and-unreliabl_346824.jpg)

> “Torture gives you reliable and unreliable information. That's the reason why most people in the world don't do it. So this idea that you have to torture people in order to protect national security is a false argument, and I reject it.”

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Torture is unreliable for gathering truth, making it a morally and practically flawed security method.

**In simple terms:** Torture yields unreliable info.

Key Takeaway

Reject torture for security.

Themes

ethics security human rights reliability policy

Mood

critical concerned serious

Type

political ethical

When to use this quote

- counterterrorism strategy
- interrogation policy
- human rights advocacy

Key Concepts

Moral philosophy intelligence gathering law human dignity

Questions to Reflect On

- Is any method justified to prevent harm?
- What alternatives respect rights?

A Different Perspective

Some argue extreme measures can yield critical intel.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [National security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national-security/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [My sources are unreliable, but their information is fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/my-sources-are-unreliable-but-their-information-is-fascinating/)

[Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/)

> [There is so much unreliable information on the internet and in the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/there-is-so-much-unreliable-information-on-the-internet-and-in-the/)

[Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/)

> [ “\[One of the biggest differences between him and his rivals for the Republican nomination was\] "every one of them wants to torture people. It's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/one-of-the-biggest-differences-between-him-and-his-rivals-for-the/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [How great the lie right to the top: We don't torture people in America and people who say we do simply know nothing about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/how-great-the-lie-right-to-the-top-we-don-t-torture-people-in-america/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [You don't torture people. You don't indiscriminately attack civilians. You protect as good as you can the impact of your warfare on women and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maurer/you-don-t-torture-people-you-don-t-indiscriminately-attack-civilians/)

[Peter Maurer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maurer/)

> [“Authors write books for one, and only one, reason: because we like to torture people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/authors-write-books-for-one-and-only-one-reason-because-we-like-to/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [Life, is torture , people use you betray you steal from you , you have to pay the government to exist through taxes ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jfs/life-is-torture-people-use-you-betray-you-steal-from-you-you-have-to/)

JFS

> [When we torture people, even if we win the battle, we've already lost the war for hearts and minds. Especially our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/when-we-torture-people-even-if-we-win-the-battle-we-ve-already-lost/)

[Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/)

> [One can have great concern for the people of Ethiopia, but it's another thing to inflict daily torture on the people of England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/one-can-have-great-concern-for-the-people-of-ethiopia-but-it-s/)

[Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/)

> [“Do you think we’re like you Americans in Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo who torture people by keeping them thirsty? We have something called ra’fateh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/do-you-think-we-re-like-you-americans-in-abu-ghraib-and-guant-namo/)

[Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/)

> [“Yeah, all right, but everyone knows they torture people," mumbled Sam. "Do they?" said Vimes. "Then why doesn't anyone do anything about it?" "'cos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/yeah-all-right-but-everyone-knows-they-torture-people-mumbled-sam-do/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [It's not acceptable to torture people for being themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-not-acceptable-to-torture-people-for-being-themselves/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The United States military is now using the music of Metallica and other heavy metal bands to break the will of Saddam Hussein supporters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-united-states-military-is-now-using-the-music-of-metallica-and/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [“When they tear a workingman's hand in a machine or kill him, you can understand-- the workingman himself is at fault. But in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/when-they-tear-a-workingman-s-hand-in-a-machine-or-kill-him-you-can/)

[Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/)

> [A day will come when a cannon will be exhibited in museums, just as instruments of torture are now, and the people will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/a-day-will-come-when-a-cannon-will-be-exhibited-in-museums-just-as/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

## More by John McCain

> [I have the utmost confidence in General Mattis, General Flynn, General Kelly, Dan Coates. I couldn't have picked a better team. And so I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-have-the-utmost-confidence-in-general-mattis-general-flynn-general/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [Washington is a Hollywood for ugly people. Hollywood is a Washington for the simpleminded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/washington-is-a-hollywood-for-ugly-people-hollywood-is-a-washington/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [I think that it's important that we understand the importance of the Hispanic vote in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-think-that-it-s-important-that-we-understand-the-importance-of-the/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [It is perhaps my greatest hope, Mr. President, that some day we'll consider tax and spending measures with no one else in mind but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/it-is-perhaps-my-greatest-hope-mr-president-that-some-day-we-ll/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [This kind of horror has become all too familiar to us. As parents, Cindy and I offer our prayers to the memory of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/this-kind-of-horror-has-become-all-too-familiar-to-us-as-parents/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [The truth is sometimes a hard pill to swallow. It sometimes causes us difficulties at home and abroad. It is sometimes used by our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/the-truth-is-sometimes-a-hard-pill-to-swallow-it-sometimes-causes-us/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [Countries, not just their armies, win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/countries-not-just-their-armies-win-wars/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [My greatest fear is the Iranians acquire a nuclear weapon and give it to a terrorist organization. And there is a real threat of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/my-greatest-fear-is-the-iranians-acquire-a-nuclear-weapon-and-give-it/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that-can-only-be-cured-by/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [3 "amnesty" didn't mean rewarding illegal behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/3-amnesty-didn-t-mean-rewarding-illegal-behavior/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [On the subject of Osama bin Laden... we will track him down. We will capture him. We will bring him to justice, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/on-the-subject-of-osama-bin-laden-we-will-track-him-down-we-will/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [That's Joe Biden right there - unbowed, unbroken and unable to stop talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/that-s-joe-biden-right-there-unbowed-unbroken-and-unable-to-stop/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

[Explore all 539 John McCain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

## More Argument quotes

> [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/)

[Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/)

> [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/)

[Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/)

> [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/)

[John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/)

> [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/)

[Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/)

> [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/)

[Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/)

> [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/)

[Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/)

> [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/)

[Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/)

> [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [If in the middle of an argument I suddenly fall silent it does not mean you have won... No it means you should probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/if-in-the-middle-of-an-argument-i-suddenly-fall-silent-it-does-not/)

[Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/)

> [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/)

[Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/)

> [“The motive behind my arguments have always been to come at truth. I am not interested in conquering anyone with my ideologies or seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-evans/the-motive-behind-my-arguments-have-always-been-to-come-at-truth-i-am/)

[Crystal Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-evans/)

> [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/)

[John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/)

[Browse all 3,479 Argument quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Torture gives you reliable and unreliable information. That's the reason why most people in the world don't do it. So this idea that you have to torture people in order to protect national security is a false argument, and I reject it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John McCain"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/torture-gives-you-reliable-and-unreliable-information-that-s-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Argument"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/torture-gives-you-reliable-and-unreliable-information-that-s-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/john-mccain-465_argument_torture-gives-you-reliable-and-unreliabl_346824.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/john-mccain-465_argument_torture-gives-you-reliable-and-unreliabl_346824.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/915/john-mccain-465_argument_torture-gives-you-reliable-and-unreliabl_346824.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Torture gives you reliable and unreliable information. That's the reason why most people in the world don't…” — John McCain",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John McCain",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Torture gives you reliable and unreliable...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/torture-gives-you-reliable-and-unreliable-information-that-s-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/torture-gives-you-reliable-and-unreliable-information-that-s-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
