Does the United States use, and Encourage, Torture?

In a word, yes, the United States does use torture. After World War II, the world agreed to follow the Geneva Convention to prevent other tragedies like those committed against the Jews. According to the agreement, Articles 3 and 75:

• prohibit torture and "outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment".

So, yes, torture is prohibited. But we still do it!

​In 2004, stories surfaced of prisoner abuse in Abu Ghraib Prison in Baghdad, Iraq. Lynndie England was at the center of the controversy, as she appeared in most pictures.

For placing dog leashes on prisoners, forcing them to engage in homosexual acts with each other, and forcing them to ​smear their bodies with their own feces, Lynndie England was eventually found guilty in 2005 of one count of conspiracy, four counts of maltreating detainees and one count of committing an indecent act. She received a dishonorable discharge and three (3) years in prison.

But does punishing someone who tortured Iraqi citizens prevent it from happening? Hard to tell.

And what about "torture" that's "legal"? The United States doesn't engage in all forms of torture, but should it still engage in "legal" forms of torture, like "waterboarding"​?

During the early years of the War on Terror under George W. Bush, George Tenet asked if he had permission to use enhanced interrogation techniques including waterboarding on Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the so-called "mastermind" of the 9/11 Attacks who was captured in 2003. George Bush recalls "I thought about my meeting with Danny Pearl's widow, who was pregnant with his son when he was murdered. I thought about the 2,971 people stolen from their families by al Qaeda on 9/11. And I thought about my duty to protect my country from another act of terror."
Did he give permission to "waterboard" Mohammed? "Damn right," he said. Mohammad was "waterboarded" at least 83, but up to 181 times. 

Waterboarding, shown during the Vietnam War, above, is a torturous method where an individual is held down, a rag is placed over his face and mouth, and water is poured on their face to trick the brain into panic mode, thinking that its drowning. Usually, people "confess" to whatever information necessary to avoid being waterboarded routinely. 

Yes, Mohammad was waterboarded. And yes, Iraqi prisoners were put on dog leases.

Are you glad you know that now? Does that make you a better American citizen? Or, are you just gonna forget it about it tomorrow?