No excuse  for torture, not ever, no matter the situation, no matter the number of lives it will supposedly save, its flat out wrong, 100% wrong in any and all circumstances.

Obamas first action should be the arrest of his predecessor and his henchmen, and if it turns out that they have presidential pardons that stop any legal action, then  get the ICC charter ratified and hand the mob over to the Hague

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.