QOTD

It's from 2005, so maybe it should be Quote of the Decade. This is from Vladimir Bukovsky, in the Washington Post (via N.K.)

Every Russian czar after Peter the Great solemnly abolished torture upon being enthroned, and every time his successor had to abolish it all over again. These czars were hardly bleeding-heart liberals, but long experience in the use of these "interrogation" practices in Russia had taught them that once condoned, torture will destroy their security apparatus. They understood that torture is the professional disease of any investigative machinery.