Bond Criticizes Limits on Interrogation Tactics

Sen. Kit Bond said a last-minute amendment to an Intelligence bill could handcuff U.S. agents in the battle against terrorists.

The House and Senate conference committee agreed to a change that would limit the CIA and FBI to just those interrogation tactics that are contained in the U.S. Army’s Field Manual on Interrogation.

“Because of this last minute amendment, this bill would tie the hands of our terror fighters,” said Bond. “I am disappointed that my Democratic colleagues have tried to kill an important tool in our efforts to fight terror," Bond added.

“The wide availability of the new Army Field Manual on the internet makes it almost certain that Al Qaeda is training its operatives to resist the techniques that it authorizes,” Bond said.

Bond, who voted against the Intelligence Authorization Conference Report stressed that unless the Army Field Manual amendment is removed, the President would be right to veto the legislation.

“We haven’t had an intelligence bill in three years. We were getting very close to one finally, but unfortunately, members voted for a short-sighted, feel-good amendment that turns an otherwise solid, bipartisan bill into an irresponsible piece of legislation,” said Bond.