How Far is Too Far?

The nation is once again facing how far the government has gone – and should be allowed to go -- in the name of national security.

The Obama administration released a 2004 report on torture of suspected terrorists and set up a special prosecutor Monday to investigate whether crimes were committed. Former vice president Dick Cheney defended "enhanced interrogation," saying it provided crucial intelligence.

In our Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index, we've found majorities of the public consistently say we can fight terrorism without using torture on suspected terrorists. Between 2005 and 2008, the height of this debate, we found half or more of the public rejected the idea.

Plus, surveys that ask about specific techniques find even stronger majorities of the public reject tactics like religious violations, force, and threats.