Sun editorial:

The torture president

Bush vetoes bill that would have returned U.S. to proper standing on torture issue

Tue, Mar 11, 2008 (2:06 a.m.)

President Bush has a record of championing issues that he does not fully understand. Examples are the Iraq war, the No Child Left Behind Act and the proposal to privatize Social Security.

He added to his record Saturday when he vetoed a bill that would have compelled the CIA to abide by the Army Field Manual when interrogating prisoners. The field manual prohibits harsh interrogation techniques that equate to torture, such as waterboarding.

Early last month CIA Director Michael Hayden testified before Congress that his agency waterboarded three al-Qaida suspects in 2002 and 2003. Following the testimony, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said that future use of waterboarding by the CIA would “depend on the circumstances.” He also said, as if taking the high ground, that the simulated-drowning technique would not be used without presidential approval.

Fratto’s statement was remarkable for its contempt of the United States’ past leadership on human rights.

The Democratic majority in Congress, rightfully outraged that a president would take the country down this path, was successful in getting a bill passed that would bring interrogators working for the CIA under the same strictures as all other U.S. interrogators.

The narrow victory 222-199 in the House and 51-45 in the Senate gives little hope that Congress will override the veto, as that would take a two-thirds majority.

Bush, who proclaims his deep religious faith at every politically advantageous opportunity, obviously doesn’t care that his support of waterboarding undercuts the nation’s stance as a moral leader.

Also, he apparently doesn’t understand that torture and its counterpart “harsh interrogation techniques” are futile. Retired Lt. Gen. Harry Soyster, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, told The Washington Post, “Torture is counterproductive. It produces bad intelligence. It ruins the subject, makes them useless for further interrogation.”

Navy Rear Adm. Mark Buzby, commander of the military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, told the newspaper, “We get so much dependable information from just sitting down and having a conversation and treating them (detainees) like human beings in a businesslike manner.”

It’s experienced people like this that Bush should be listening to.

Discussion: 4 comments so far…

By ohiorepubliscum

3/12/08 at 7:46 a.m.

Suggest removal

I still think that Bush is not the "torture president" until he authorizes decapitation.
By FreshLook

3/12/08 at 2:15 p.m.

Suggest removal

Thank goodness we have a president willing to do whatever is necessary to protect the American people. Intelligence derived from this procedure has saved American lives. Remember, under President Bush, America HAS NOT been attacked since 9-11, that is success ANY way you look at it.Let Bush make all the calls concerning national security, no one can do it better.
By Judy

3/12/08 at 3:54 p.m.

Suggest removal

You are an idiot FreshLook. There is a Constitution that we operate under. It has been pretty darn successful until this ass clown took office. Bush will go on record as having committed more crimes in office than Nixon.
By cruelwilson

3/13/08 at 1:01 a.m.

Suggest removal

The Sun Editorial is right on the money. There are many things this President simply does not understand; most importantly how to properly weigh the advice he gets from his staff and consultants.

Maybe FreashLook should take a "fresh look" at Retired Lt. Gen. Harry Soysters' comments again. This officer was the former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. The information collected under torture circumstances is quote "bad intelligence".

I would also like to point out the fact we have no way of knowing the nature of the questions the tortured are being asked. What if this bad intelligence has actually resulted in the loss of American lives. Please remember that although we have not been attacked within the continental US since 9-11, there are a lot of Americans and our servicemen and women in foreign lands that are affected daily by this presidents innate ability to act on bad intelligence.