[Mb-civic] Senate Supports Interrogation Limits - Washington Post

[William Swiggard]

Senate Supports Interrogation Limits
90-9 Vote on the Treatment of Detainees Is a Bipartisan Rebuff of the 
White House

By Charles Babington and Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, October 6, 2005; Page A01

The Senate defied the White House yesterday and voted to set new limits 
on interrogating detainees in Iraq and elsewhere, underscoring 
Congress's growing concerns about reports of abuse of suspected 
terrorists and others in military custody.

Forty-six Republicans joined 43 Democrats and one independent in voting 
to define and limit interrogation techniques that U.S. troops may use 
against terrorism suspects, the latest sign that alarm over treatment of 
prisoners in the Middle East and at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is widespread 
in both parties. The White House had fought to prevent the restrictions, 
with Vice President Cheney visiting key Republicans in July and a 
spokesman yesterday repeating President Bush's threat to veto the larger 
bill that the language is now attached to -- a $440 billion military 
spending measure.

Senate GOP leaders had managed to fend off the detainee language this 
summer, saying Congress should not constrain the executive branch's 
options. But last night, 89 senators sided with Sen. John McCain 
(R-Ariz.), a former prisoner of war in Vietnam who led the fight for the 
interrogation restrictions. McCain said military officers have implored 
Congress for guidelines, adding that he mourns "what we lose when by 
official policy or by official negligence we allow, confuse or encourage 
our soldiers to forget . . . that which is our greatest strength: that 
we are different and better than our enemies."

The vote came hours after Senate Democratic leaders blasted Republicans 
for canceling a classified briefing on anti-terrorism matters by the 
director of national intelligence, John D. Negroponte. Senate Democrats 
also sent Bush a letter demanding more information about how he intends 
to succeed in Iraq.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/05/AR2005100502062.html?referrer=email
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