Passing a law to prohibit U.S. soldiers from torturing people should be easy, ri

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rom: A

Tue, 11 Oct 2005 09:58:04 -0500

Passing a law to prohibit U.S. soldiers from torturing people

should be easy, right?

 

http://www.propagandamatrix.com/articles/october2005/111005sayno.htm

 

Say No to torture

OUR OPINION: HOUSE SHOULD FOLLOW SENATE'S LEAD ON PRISONER RULES

 

Miami Herald | October 11 2005

 

Passing a law to prohibit U.S. soldiers from torturing people should

be easy, right? After all, who could be for torture? The president of

the United States, apparently.

 

White House officials said that an anti-torture amendment attached to

a $440-billion military-spending bill would limit the president's

ability to pursue the war against terrorism. Therefore, the president

will veto the spending bill that passed in the Senate last week if the

amendment is included in the final version approved by Congress.

Unbelievable.

 

The Senate voted overwhelmingly -- 90-9 -- to pass the measure because

the amendment, in fact, does nothing exceptional. It merely advises

U.S. military personnel to follow interrogation techniques outlined in

the U.S. Army Field Manual. That's it. Follow long-established rules

already in place for handling detainees and prisoners in Iraq and

Afghanistan. Make it clear to U.S. enlisted men and women what the

rules are. Make it clear to the world that what happened at Abu Ghraib

was wrong, an aberration that will not be knowingly repeated.

 

If the most powerful country in the world with the best army and most

sophisticated equipment can't fight and defeat terrorists without

resorting to torture, then something is seriously wrong with the

anti-terror strategy. Even if torture were permissible, the value and

quality of the information obtained is suspect. What is worse, the

United States would be sending a message that it must use such extreme

measures to defeat terrorists.

 

The Senate only rarely has said No to President Bush -- and not by

such a large, bipartisan margin. The issue now goes to a House

conference committee, which should follow the Senate's lead. It should

send a clear message to our troops and the world that we are a country

that doesn't sanction torture. Period.