The bill would have restricted the CIA to the interrogation techniques permitted by the Army Field Manual. The president provided this piece of self-delusion in his statement about the veto:
“This is no time for Congress to abandon practices that have a proven track record of keeping America safe,” the president said.
What practices is the president referring to? The sort of things done to the Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib.
Among the techniques the field manual prohibits are hooding prisoners or putting duct tape across their eyes, stripping them naked, forcing them to perform or mimic sexual acts, or beating, electrocuting, burning or otherwise physically hurting them.
They may not be subjected to hypothermia or mock executions. It does not allow food, water and medical treatment to be withheld. Dogs may not be used in any aspect of interrogation.
But waterboarding is the most high-profile and controversial of the interrogation methods in question… It has been traced back hundreds of years to the Spanish Inquisition and is condemned by nations around the world and human rights organizations as torture.
Feel safer knowing that the CIA can continue to do these things? Me neither. Full story here.
Note that John McCain supported Bush’s veto.
I would expect no less than a veto from Bush on this. But McCain – he has really shown his true colors by voting against this bill and supporting Bush’s veto. True blue honorable veteran, my ass. Any politician who is so crass as to use his military history as a campaign prop and also say that he is against torture, and then turn around and blatantly support torture is the worst kind of traitor. He is a traitor to his own stated ideals. No honor. No courage. Is there no ethic he wouldn’t turn his back on for personal gain?
for Republican unity. So much for the straight talk express. I guess that is the price for all the dineros Bush is gonna help him raise in coming months.