The CIA's torture tactics were employed in the belief that the ends justify the means, but in reality they make us no better than those we fight and rob us of our humanity ("Report condemns CIA over torture," Dec. 10).
Regardless of how bad someone is, the torture and killing of prisoners of a war is never justifiable. It breeds more resentment and hatred toward those who do it and removes them from any moral high ground.
As an Ahmadi Muslim, I know from the prophet Muhammad that mercy and compassion toward POWs is much better. In an earlier era when prisoners were sold into slavery and mistreated as part of the culture, the Prophet Muhammad taught his followers to feed and clothe them as they do themselves and to not inflict any pain on them.
Many prisoners attested that the Muslim armies treated them with great care. It was such behavior that later changed many of their hearts and eventually led to peace.
I hope our government chooses to follow their example and end its barbarous practices. Islam introduced the idea of treating one's enemy well some 1,400 years ago. It is time we lived by it.
Mohammad Iqbal Khan, Aberdeen