CCR: Close Torture Loopholes in the Army Field Manual

[babylonsister]

Close Torture Loopholes in the Army Field Manual

Synopsis

President Obama's three executive orders of January 22, 2009 call for the closing of Guantanamo within one year, the closing of secret CIA 'black sites,' and the limiting of interrogation techniques to those allowed in the Army Field Manual (AFM). Join us to close torture loopholes that remain.


Description

President Obama's three executive orders of January 22, 2009 call for the closing of Guantanamo within one year, the closing of secret CIA 'black sites,' and the limiting of interrogation techniques to those allowed in the Army Field Manual (AFM), eliminating the numerous executive orders and opinions issued during the Bush administration that granted official approval for torture, cruel and inhuman treatment, and abuse. These executive orders certainly represent an extraordinary step forward, but we remain concerned about potentially exploitable loopholes. Please take a moment to ask him to close the loopholes.

While the current Army Field Manual does not allow waterboarding, it does include approved techniques that constitute torture. One glaring problem with the executive order on torture is the implicit approval of the current AFM as it stands. The Army Field Manual is a guidebook for U.S. interrogators, meant to set a standard in accordance with the law. However, it has serious shortcomings - particularly following a Bush-era 2006 revision that attempted to legitimize some of the abuses taking place at Guantanamo and elsewhere.

Please join us in urging President Obama to clarify that his executive order truly means an end to U.S. torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/383/t/4089/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26522

more...

http://ccrjustice.org/get-involved/action/close-torture-loopholes-army-field-manual

[mmonk]

1. Yes, my fear is that they are going to add to and adjust the manual

to continue questionable behavior.

[Mist]

2. Removing any */Cheney "revisions" to the AFM should be step one. nt