Deeper UK-US Relations Would Mean Conflicts In Intelligence Gathering Operations

US President Donald Trump openly supports "waterboarding" or torture in gathering information from insurgents and terrorist forces, which would mean re-igniting a "special" relationship by the UK with the United States would mean an intelligence gathering-method conundrum for UK intelligence services department MI6 and MI5 who are working closely with US intelligence.

According to a former British diplomat, it would mean intelligence gathering in conflicted areas in Asia and the Middle East would have difficulties given it would be "torn between a moral and legal obligation not to be involved with torture" yet may relent because of "their heavy dependence on the United States."

All intelligence service agencies of the United Kingdom, Canada and Europe are by their respective laws opposed to torture in intelligence gathering. According to The Guardian, they are to absent themselves from the torture room -- a typical practice during CIA intelligence gathering operations during the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns.

Former MI6 Chief Sir John Sawers said torture is illegal and abhorrent and the agency -- during the 9/11 War on Terrorism campaign -- had to deal with "real, constant dilemmas" to avoid using torture-sourced intelligence but admitted it did yield useful information.