We've known. of course, that the torture of foreign captives in American military prisons was implicitly authorized by a Presidential "finding" in February of 2002.
We had hoped that in the interim the present Administration has recognized that the results of the policy decisions were morally wrong.
We are astonished to find this is not the case--that the Administration is threatening to veto the appropriations bill for all our soldiers, airmen, marines and national guard troops if it contains a prohibition against such abuse.
Threatening the well-being of innocent people in order to force others to do one's bidding is the strategy of the terrorist.
"After ignoring repeated calls and court orders to release new, politically embarrassing images and videos from the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, the president has stooped to new low. President Bush recently threatened to veto a defense appropriations bill if it includes any attempt to bar "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment" of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib and elsewhere, let alone investigate past abuses at those facilities. The rationale behind this veto threat--that it would "restrict the president's authority to protect Americans effectively from terrorist attack and bring terrorists to justice"--would be laughable if it weren't part of a reprehensible, concerted effort to obstruct the democratic process.
If the president of the United States is willing to hold hostage the funds necessary for the support of our men and women in uniform, just because some in Congress want to do what is right, then I despair for the future of this great country.
I urge the Congress to exert its powers enshrined in the Constitution and vote in favor of investigating and regulating the abuses and handling of detainees. And if President Bush does follow through on his veto threat, I pray there will be enough who will vote to override it. Our troops deserve nothing less."
RavenwindinCO