Clearing the Fog On Interrogations (Graham / Harman in WP)

[struggle4progress]

By Lindsey Graham and Jane Harman
Saturday, February 19, 2005; Page A31

<snip> We strongly believe it is imperative to have a coherent, flexible and aggressive set of interrogation procedures, allowing our nation to acquire timely and valuable intelligence. This must be done, however, without forfeiting the moral authority that is inherent to our nation and essential to winning the global war on terrorism.

Unfortunately, some made early efforts to limit the definition of torture to acts "causing pain that is consistent with death or organ failure." This, in combination with the inconsistent interpretation of other pertinent laws, started us off on the wrong track. It has also left our military personnel subject to prosecution and reprimand from their respective branches of service.

It is clear to us that the events at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, as well as the allegations of abuse at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, must be thoroughly addressed, and reforms enacted. Any attempt to "play cute" with international, domestic or military laws inevitably puts our own troops at risk, leaving our armed services personnel vulnerable to the same type of treatment if captured. It has been proved that torture or other inhuman conduct as a technique of information-gathering is flawed and often produces unreliable information. <snip>

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is a member of the Senate Armed Services and Judiciary committees and a colonel in the Air Force Reserve. Rep. Jane Harman of California is the ranking Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36621-2005Feb18.html


This call for discussion indicates clearly that Congress is hearing about torture -- and suggests that everybody on the Hill is too gutless to pursue the matter in detail thoroughly.