I think you are confused. The _operational_ problem with torture is that the subject tends to tell you whatever unverifiable information they thing you want to

I think you are confused. The _operational_ problem with torture is that the subject tends to tell you whatever unverifiable information they thing you want to hear. it is in this context that torture doesn't "work." the information is unreliable and thus low value. For immediately verifiable information, such as a password, torture most assuredly does work and it is foolishness to pretend otherwise.