General who led U.S. forces in Iraq during detainee scandal hails Democrats withdrawal plan

General who led U.S. forces in Iraq during detainee scandal hails Democrats withdrawal plan
By Roxana Tiron | Posted 11/24/07
November 24, 2007



Retired Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, a former commander of U.S. forces in Iraq whose name was tarnished by the Abu Ghraib scandal, said Saturday that a war funding bill passed by the House on November 14 puts “America on the path to regaining our moral authority” by requiring all government employees, including CIA agents, to abide by the military’s permissible interrogation methods.

Sanchez gave the Democratic radio address but said that he is not speaking on behalf of the Democratic Party. Rather, he described himself “as a retired military officer who is a former commander of the Multi-National Force Iraq.”

At present, the Army Field Manual on Interrogations prohibits the military from using the controversial technique known as water-boarding, but the same rules may not apply to intelligence agencies such as the CIA.

The Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 states that no “individual in the custody or under the physical control of the United States Government, regardless of nationality or physical location, shall be subject to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.” However, Bush administration officials have claimed that the use of water-boarding is still permissible under that standard, and intelligence officials have admitted to water-boarding captured members of al Qaeda. The Bush administration has battled to have as much freedom as possible in its treatment of terrorist detainees.

House Democrats have sought to curb the controversial tactic with language included in a bill appropriating $50 billion for war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The language would ensure that the Army Field Manual’s rules apply across the board, including the intelligence agencies.

Democrats also included the goal of withdrawing troops from Iraq by December 2008. The Senate failed to pass a similar bill, and President Bush said he would veto it.

more...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/general-who-led-u.s.-forces-in-iraq-during-detainee-scandal-hails-democrats-withdrawal-plan-2007-11-24.html