About the McCain Anti-Torture Amendment

Earlier this year, Captain Ian Fishback, a member of the 82nd Airborne Division and a veteran of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, sent a letter to Senator John McCain (R-AZ) in which he noted that during his 17 months in combat, he struggled to get answers from his chain of command to a basic question: What standards apply to the treatment of enemy detainees? Unfortunately, he found no answers.

In an effort to provide answers to Captain Fishback and all our men and women in uniform, Sen. McCain introduced an Anti-Torture Amendment to the defense appropriations bill outlawing torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of detainees in US custody and establishing the Army Field Manual on Intelligence Interrogation as the uniform standard for interrogation. On October 5, 2005, the U.S. Senate voted 90 to 9 in favor of this amendment. Unfortunately, President Bush has threatened to veto the defense appropriations bill if this provision is included upon final passage.

Perhaps even more disturbing than President BushŐs threatened veto are attempts by Vice President Dick Cheney to add exemptions to the anti-torture amendment via secret negotiations and closed-door deals. CheneyŐs proposed exemptions for the CIA and other clandestine services would cripple the amendment, and it would be the first time that the United States explicitly and publicly authorizes the abuse of prisoners.

Torture is inconsistent with the values of the United States. Tell your members of Congress that Torture Is Not US, and demand that they support the McCain Anti-Torture Amendment - with no exceptions.