Wednesday, December 14, 2005

White House Plays Politics With Torture, McCain Wishes He Was Back In Hanoi Hilton

Yes, we're actually still debating the issue of torture. Why a time we live in! Welcome to George W. Bush's America. Where torture is okay and you are unamerican for questioning it.

The White House and Sen. McCain still can't reach a compromise on his anti-torture legislation:
McCain, White House at impasse over detainee treatment

The newest disagreement is due to changes in the Army Field Manual on Intelligence Interrogation, which McCain intended to set as the standard for interrogation conduct. The manual had been very clear torture was never allowed, banning all "coercive interrogation techniques" (Think Progress takes a look at this). Now this has changed.

Just like Kansas changed the definition of science to accomodate 'intelligent design', so too has the Pentagon changed the rules to accomodate torture (which we don't do, of course). A New York Times report states:
The techniques are included in a 10-page classified addendum to a new Army field manual that was forwarded this week to Stephen A. Cambone, the under secretary of defense for intelligence policy, for final approval, they said.

The addendum provides dozens of examples and goes into exacting detail on what procedures may or may not be used, and in what circumstances. Army interrogators have never had a set of such specific guidelines that would help teach them how to walk right up to the line between legal and illegal interrogations.


The NY Times report: New Army Rules May Snarl Talks With McCain on Detainee Issue

One Pentagon official states in the report that "This is a stick in McCain's eye. It goes right up to the edge. He's not going to be comfortable with this."

Note to John McCain:
You get what/who you paid helped campaign for. Caveat emptor, Senator.

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