| Senator McCain has long ago joined ranks with his | | | | Warner, Levin and Skelton back McCain's provisions, |
| fellow Democrats (even though he is not officially a | | | | while Hunter has questioned the need for them. |
| Democrat, he may as well be) to tie our American | | | | Hunter, R-Calf., has argued that the United States |
| servicemen and women's collective hands behind their | | | | already has a law that prohibits torture. |
| back to actually win this war. Associated Press writer | | | | If there is already a law prohibiting torture, why is |
| Liz Sodoti writes: | | | | there a need for McCain's bill? Is McCain just trying to |
| A ban on cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of | | | | get himself back in the political limelight? If so, why |
| foreign terrorism suspects is likely to be included | | | | does he always have to do so at the expense of |
| mostly, if not entirely, in a final defense bill, a key | | | | President Bush's efforts to actually do the right thing? |
| House Republican said Tuesday. - Yahoo! News [ | | | | What is most irksome to me is that John McCain |
| My first response to this was simply, "What?" Am I | | | | knows that torture works. A Newsmax [ article |
| mistaken here, or are we now supposed to worry | | | | states: |
| about how humanely we treat terrorists who have | | | | Sen. John McCain is leading the charge against |
| absolutely no problem killing as many innocent | | | | so-called "torture" techniques allegedly used by U.S. |
| Americans as they wish by any means necessary? | | | | interrogators, insisting that practices like sleep |
| Rep. Duncan Hunter (news, bio, voting record) of | | | | deprivation and withholding medical attention are not |
| California, who is leading negotiations to iron out | | | | only brutal - they simply don't work to persuade |
| differences between the House and Senate versions | | | | terrorist suspects to give accurate information. |
| of the measure, said if the ban or another provision | | | | Nearly forty years ago, however - when McCain was |
| limiting interrogation techniques U.S. troops can use | | | | held captive in a North Vietnamese prison camp - |
| are changed, they won't be drastically watered down. | | | | some of the same techniques were used on him. |
| "Nobody wants to do that," Hunter, the House | | | | And - as McCain has publicly admitted at least twice - |
| Armed Services Committee chairman, said in an | | | | the torture worked! |
| interview. "I expect a good outcome for all parties." | | | | In his 1999 autobiography, "Faith of My Fathers," |
| Then why do anything at all, if nothing drastic is going | | | | McCain describes how he was severely injured when |
| to change? If there should be any change, it should | | | | his plane was shot down over Hanoi - and how his |
| be that when at war, do whatever is necessary to | | | | North Vietnamese interrogators used his injuries to |
| win! I know I might sound a bit too aggressive, but I | | | | extract information. |
| have this problem with not wanting Americans | | | | "Demands for military information were accompanied |
| needlessly dying because we have to be 'civilized'. | | | | by threats to terminate my medical treatment if I did |
| Maybe those in the House and the Senate can leave | | | | not cooperate," he wrote. |
| the warfighting to the professionals. No one is telling | | | | "I thought they were bluffing and refused to provide |
| them how to be professional blowhards; they have | | | | any information beyond my name, rank and serial |
| already shown their expertise in that field, many | | | | number, and date of birth. They knocked me around |
| times over. | | | | a little to force my cooperation." |
| The White House opposes the provisions and has | | | | The punishment finally worked, McCain said. |
| threatened to veto any bill containing them. But | | | | "Eventually, I gave them my ship's name and |
| President Bush's national security adviser, Stephen | | | | squadron number, and confirmed that my target had |
| Hadley, has been negotiating with the chief sponsor, | | | | been the power plant." |
| Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to find a compromise that | | | | So, Senator McCain, what is it? Does torture work or |
| would satisfy Bush administration's concerns. | | | | not? If it does work, why would you not want to |
| First of all, that 'R' following John McCain's name is for | | | | allow your American troops use it to keep you safe? |
| RINO [Republican In Name Only]. Secondly, John | | | | It would be a lot better if you and your fellow liberals |
| McCain does nothing but negotiate. But, when he | | | | quit trying to make this war another Vietnam. Quit |
| does, it usually costs the Republicans something and | | | | criticizing everything our troops do from the comfort |
| gives the Democrats something. Maybe I am wrong, | | | | of your ivory tower and let them win this war! |
| but the Republicans are in the majority, thus it should | | | | Maybe you should just say "thank you" to those who |
| be time to play by their rules. Instead, with the likes | | | | give you the right to be so stupid and let them do |
| of McCain, the Republicans keep giving concessions | | | | their job. |
| to the party unwilling to concede their losses. | | | | Copyright 2005 - John St. Michael. |