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Override Veto Of Torture Ban

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 11, 2008

Against the advice of former military leaders, President Bush continues to insist that harsh methods of interrogation have secured valuable information for the country in the war against terrorism.

So over the weekend, the president vetoed legislation that would have banned "waterboarding" and other secret methods because he says they are valuable tools. Bush is wrong.

The United States should never condone torture, and Congress should act quickly to override the president's veto.

Recently, a group of generals visited the Tribune and argued persuasively that the country should preserve the tradition of honoring national and international standards for prisoner treatment. They said torture does not yield reliable information and so doesn't make us any safer. Instead, they said it puts U.S. troops at risk of criminal charges, creates new enemies and causes psychological damage to the tortured and those inflicting the pain.

Democrats who led the effort against waterboarding do not appear to have the votes to override Bush's veto, but the vote would be symbolic nonetheless.

Supporters of torture say dangerous times require difficult decisions, and they're right. It is difficult to remember that constitutional protections are never more important than when the temptation is greatest to evade them.

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