President Bush needs to be strongly urged to sign the Intelligence Authorization Bill (H.R. 2082). Section 327 of this bill provides critical language that would set a single, humane interrogation standard for all detainees in the custody of the U.S. intelligence community.
The U.S. military abides by the Army Field Manual which specifically rules out the use of torture. Congress has passed a bill that would take torture off the table completely by applying these interrogation rules to the CIA which is now reportedly operating a program in which cruel interrogation techniques have been authorized and used.
President Bush claims to not favor torture, yet he is threatening to veto a bill that would put an end to inhumane practices like the use of waterboarding, hypothermia and stress positions.
The danger here is clear: The failure to articulate a single standard of humane treatment will perpetuate a policy of official cruelty, undermine the rule of law, and jeopardize the safety of U.S. citizens and military personnel.
Send a message now telling President Bush that a veto is unacceptable!
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