'Culture of life' president claims right to torture

Yesterday, the Republican-controlled US Senate overwhelmingly vote to set new limits on interrogating detainees in Iraq, Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere. The changes would prohibit "cruel, inhuman or degrading" treatment of those in US military custody.

The Bush administration objects to the Senate's move. It is not clear why the folks who claim to be fighting on behalf of freedom, liberty and decency would feel the need to guard their right to use 'cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.' It's not certain why the folks pursuing the global struggle against the enemies of freedom [or whatever the euphemism of the week for the war on terrorism is] would insist on safeguarding interrogating tactics more worthy of a banana republic dictatorship.

One of the bill's co-sponsors, former prisoner of war Sen. John McCain, pointed out that the terrorists are contemptful of the Geneva Convention, treaties against torture and basic human decency. McCain insists that the United States must act in a more humane, more decent way than the terrorists. He also pointed out that American soldiers "crying out for clarity" on how to deal with detainees.

Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions opposed the provision, claiming that "We do not have ... systematic abuse of prisoners going on by our United States military." Yet, if such abuse is not widespread or systematic, then surely such a clarification should present no problems to the military.

But while such abhorrent conduct may not be systematic, how can it be seen as anything other than condoned by a commander-in-chief who wants to guard jealously the right to impose such abhorrent conduct?

McCain, and other supporters of the change like former Secretary of State Colin Powell, knows that scandals like Abu Ghraib have been a terrible blow to America's international credibility, which has collapsed in the last few years.

If the administration virulently opposes even a de jure ban on "cruel, inhuman or degrading" treatment, then how can it claim the tiniest shred of moral superiority over the heathens?

Kudos to Democrat and Republican senators alike for standing up for decency and American values, despite the White House's wishes. Let's hope the House does the same.


Update: Less than a day after claiming the right to torture as a presidential prerogative, Mr Bush warned (without the slightest hint of irony) against terrorists who want to wage war against humanity