Is Torture a Reasonable Tactic?

Colossus posted an intriguing challenge to indict torture, which got me really thinking about the issue for the first time. I haven't been against it until now, but some reading I've been doing juxtaposed with reflections on the pros Colossus puts forward make the issue very clear for me.

The original post I responded to is here, and today's continuation is here. Take Colossus's side or take mine, or stake out your own position. This one's way better than the standard trolly-derailment conundrum of switching the trolly to a track that will kill one man in order to prevent it from careening on a death mission toward five other people.

CP @ GMC & NGC.

Update: A reader points out that torture needs to be defined. For our purposes, the discussion is focused on this part of the standard definition:

Infliction of severe physical pain as a means of coercion to gain information.
An instrument or a method for inflicting such pain.