Torture topics

Bush, GOP rebels agree on detainee bill
Anne Plummer Flaherty, Associated Press:

The White House and rebellious Senate Republicans announced agreement Thursday on rules for the interrogation and trial of suspects in the war on terror. President Bush urged Congress to put it into law before adjourning for the midterm elections.

"I'm pleased to say that this agreement preserves the single most potent tool we have in protecting America and foiling terrorist attacks," the president said, shortly after administration officials and key lawmakers announced agreement following a week of high-profile intraparty disagreement.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona, one of three GOP lawmakers who told Bush he couldn't have the legislation the way he initially asked for it, said, "The agreement that we've entered into gives the president the tools he needs to continue to fight the war on terror and bring these evil people to justice."

"There's no doubt that the integrity and letter and spirit of the Geneva Conventions have been preserved," McCain said, referring to the international treaties covering the treatment of prisoners in wartime.

US: detainee bill would clarify access to evidence
Reuters:

"A provision dealing with classified evidence makes sure that no sensitive intelligence will have to be shared with terrorists or their lawyers," White House national security adviser Stephen Hadley told reporters.

U.N. expert: Iraq torture may be worse
Eliane Engeler, Associated Press:

Torture in
Iraq may be worse now than it was under
Saddam Hussein, with militias, terrorist groups and government forces disregarding rules on the humane treatment of prisoners, the U.N. anti-torture chief said Thursday.

Manfred Nowak, the U.N. special investigator on torture, made the remarks as he was presenting a report on detainee conditions at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay as well as to brief the U.N. Human Rights Council, the global body's top rights watchdog, on torture worldwide.

Reports from Iraq indicate that torture "is totally out of hand," he said. "The situation is so bad many people say it is worse than it has been in the times of Saddam Hussein."

Nowak added, "That means something, because the torture methods applied under Saddam Hussein were the worst you could imagine."

Georgia GOP Rep flip-flops on pro-torture statement
Ben Evans, Associated Press:

Georgia congressman Lynn Westmoreland backed away from comments he made suggesting that he supports torturing terrorism suspects, but said intelligence agencies should be given latitude to use "the methods necessary" to get information from detainees.

On Tuesday, the Grantville Republican told a Douglas County Chamber of Commerce luncheon that he "voted for torture" and that "we need to get information out of these people the best way we can," the Douglas County Sentinel reported.

He said Wednesday that he should have "put that another way."

"Maybe I shouldn't have said I voted for torture," he said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I should have said I voted against the anti-torture bill."

The vote he referred to came last year on an amendment reaffirming the United States' commitment to the U.N. Convention Against Torture. The measure passed the House 415-8, with Westmoreland among those opposing it. The U.N. convention defines torture as intentionally inflicting "severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental," to obtain information or a confession.

Are We Cool with Cruel and Degrading Treatment for US Troops?
Cenk Uygur, Huffington Post:

Newsweek has already reported the seven different techniques the CIA has asked permission to use (plus waterboarding, which they have already used but apparently is negotiable). These techniques include slapping detainees around, exposing them to extreme temperatures (clothing optional), throwing water down their nose until they think they're drowning, making them go through extended hours of standing and sleep deprivation. No big deal, right? The terrorists had it coming.

The only problem is that whatever we agree is acceptable interrogation tactics, we obviously have to accept can also be done to our troops when they are captured. It's one thing when we tell other countries to treat our soldiers by the Geneva Conventions when we are following them, it's another to say that when we are not. As Colin Powell tried to explain, we would have lost our moral standing.

This is the point when conservatives start screaming about how terrorists cut people's heads off. Yes, congratulations, you win -- you are slightly better than Al Qaeda. Maybe that should be the slogan of the Republicans supporting the White House position on "tougher interrogations" -- Republicans: Slightly Better than the Terrorists.