An Honorable Soldier
“If we abandon our ideals in the face of adversity and aggression, then those ideals were never really in our possession. I would rather die fighting than give up even the smallest part of the idea that is “America.” –Captain Ian Fishback
Captain Ian Fishback, a West Point graduate serving with the 82nd Airborne Division, recently wrote Senator John McCain regarding torture of prisoners in United States custody that he had witnessed in both Afghanistan and Iraq. If you you’re an American and haven’t read the letter, read it now. It’s a matter of our core values as a nation.
Senator McCain and others have taken Fishback’s words to heart, and at the urging of retired general Colin Powell, the Senate voted yesterday 90-9 to strengthen the U.S. ban on torture of detainees. The measure is attached to a defense appropriations bill, and the House version of the bill does not have such a measure attached, meaning that it might be killed in conference committee. The Bush administration, for its part, has threatened to make this measure Bush’s first use of his veto power if it passes, claiming that it would “tie the President’s hands”.
From Capt. Fishback’s letter:
“Some do not see the need for this work. Some argue that since our actions are not as horrifying as Al Qaeda’s, we should not be concerned. When did Al Qaeda become any type of standard by which we measure the morality of the United States? We are America, and our actions should be held to a higher standard, the ideals expressed in documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.“Others argue that clear standards will limit the President’s ability to wage the War on Terror. Since clear standards only limit interrogation techniques, it is reasonable for me to assume that supporters of this argument desire to use coercion to acquire information from detainees. This is morally inconsistent with the Constitution and justice in war. It is unacceptable.”
Now would be a very good time to call your Senators and Representatives and urge them to fight to keep the anti-torture provisions in the compromise bill and to vote to override any veto.
Note: Andrew Sullivan has been following this story more closely than anyone.