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Journalism of Courage
The White House, trying to end a protest by dissident Senate Republicans, is expressing confidence it can reach a compromise on proposed rules for the interrogation and prosecution of terror suspects.
But neither side is saying how agreement can be achieved on whether to allow highly controversial interrogation methods by the CIA such as electric shock, forced nakedness and waterboarding, which is when a detainee is strapped to a board and has water run over him to simulate drowning.
The Bush administration says the techniques have foiled terror plots. Opponents believe they verge on torture. The Senate is expected to take up the issue as early as this week.
8220;The reason we have this programme is these kind of hard-core terrorists who are most likely to have information to allow us to protect America are trained in counterinterrogation techniques,8221; said Stephen Hadley, Bush8217;s National Security Adviser, on Sunday. 8220;It was only when they went into this CIA programme we were able to get information,8221; he said. 8220;This is not torture. This is not a programme out of control.8221;
Senator John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, and one of the Republicans not satisfied with the White House proposal, said he was committed to working out a deal but insisted the US must hold the moral high ground. 8220;When they are in our custody, they deserve nothing except the fundamental rights that all prisoners have under the Geneva Conventions,8221; said McCain. 8211;HOPE YEN
