I know I mentioned that I was going to bed, but the thoughts of this scenario was in my mind for so long that I couldn't sleep without writing it down. Here are reasons why I think torture is wrong. For this case, I'll take the identity of a terrorist.
I will say anything when I'm under torture.
When I'm subject to torture, the government generally encites that they will stop torturing if I tell them what they need to know, in the hope that I will actually cave in. What I know is much different than what they know so I can easily mix facts here and there, such as people I've met, places I've been, and actions I've taken a part of. Because the government is searching for information, they are just as likely to cave in to me. They don't know what I don't know, and that's what they're trying to figure out, so it's not surprising if I tell them a fabricated account of events that they'll buy in. They don't know what I hold, and lie detectors are only reliable to a certain degree. As a result, they may take in another prisoner, who I knew was innocent, but they would have his innocence on their hands.
It's counter-intuitive, but I think the situations are reversed. The situation is made where I'm supposed to cave in, but it is really they, the government, who can be fooled most easily. Additionally, this buys time, so if the ticking time bomb situation were to be employed, then I would be effectively wasting their time for them to chase ghosts. It would play in my favor.
Other techniques may be more effective.
If I go through due process and I'm guaranteed a life sentence or capital punishment, then I'll cave. Torture is far worse than sitting in a prison cell or death. If I'm guaranteed what little liberty I have left by rotting in my cell, then I am more inclined to give in the information. However, this is dependent on how strongly I stand for a cause.
I may not have the information the government seeks.
I may be a terrorist, but I may not necessarily be the head-honcho of the group. How does the government know if I was included with all the details of the group or if I was informed on a need-to-know basis? Any truthful information that I have may no longer be applicable because what the government needs to prevent a terrorist attack is not what I have.
It increases the case for our cause.
We're terrorists (and misguided ones at that) and torturing the innocent (which could be a result of my first paragraph in my first point) only strengthens our cause. It only gives us the right to torture innocent U.S. lives in return.
Other nations follow U.S.'s actions.
Although there is a lot of anti-American sentiment, a lot of countries do look at the U.S. to determine what to do, since they are arguably the world's largest superpower. If they ignore their own Constitution and the Geneva Conventions, then likewise, other nations will follow their lead. The U.S., in effect, will give up the higher moral ground. This puts us on the same level as terrorists.
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