Bush Will Veto Anti-Torture Bill if Passed
Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 2:41 pm
Washington - The Senate voted Wednesday to ban waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods that have been used by the Central Intelligence Agency against high-level terrorism suspects. The vote, following House passage of the measure in December, set up a confrontation with President Bush, who has threatened to veto it.
The ban would limit all American interrogators to techniques permitted in the Army Field Manual on Interrogation, which prohibits the use of physical force. It is part of a broader intelligence authorization bill, which cleared the Senate by 51 to 45, with 5 Republicans joining 45 Democrats and 1 independent in favor.
...The leading Republican presidential candidate, Senator John McCain of Arizona, a former prisoner of war who steadfastly opposes the use of torture, voted against the bill. Mr. McCain said the ban would limit the C.I.A.'s ability to gather intelligence. "We always supported allowing the C.I.A. to use extra measures," he said.
At the same time, he said that he believed "waterboarding is illegal and should be banned" and that the agency must adhere to existing federal law and international treaties.
The White House again said Mr. Bush intended to veto the bill, on the ground that it would interfere with successful intelligence gathering. And Tony Fratto, a presidential spokesman, said that at least in the case of waterboarding, Democrats were criticizing a method that American interrogators no longer used.
Democratic supporters of the measure hailed its passage and immediately challenged Mr. Bush to veto it, saying that to do so would effectively endorse torture. "If the president vetoes intelligence authorization, he will be voting in favor of waterboarding," Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York declared at a news conference.
See here.
The ban would limit all American interrogators to techniques permitted in the Army Field Manual on Interrogation, which prohibits the use of physical force. It is part of a broader intelligence authorization bill, which cleared the Senate by 51 to 45, with 5 Republicans joining 45 Democrats and 1 independent in favor.
...The leading Republican presidential candidate, Senator John McCain of Arizona, a former prisoner of war who steadfastly opposes the use of torture, voted against the bill. Mr. McCain said the ban would limit the C.I.A.'s ability to gather intelligence. "We always supported allowing the C.I.A. to use extra measures," he said.
At the same time, he said that he believed "waterboarding is illegal and should be banned" and that the agency must adhere to existing federal law and international treaties.
The White House again said Mr. Bush intended to veto the bill, on the ground that it would interfere with successful intelligence gathering. And Tony Fratto, a presidential spokesman, said that at least in the case of waterboarding, Democrats were criticizing a method that American interrogators no longer used.
Democratic supporters of the measure hailed its passage and immediately challenged Mr. Bush to veto it, saying that to do so would effectively endorse torture. "If the president vetoes intelligence authorization, he will be voting in favor of waterboarding," Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York declared at a news conference.
See here.