Senator Kit Bond announced his opposition to a bill by Intelligence Chair Diane Feinstein that would limit some interrogation tactics listed in the U.S. Army Field Manual.Bond, who serves as vice chairman, said "we should ban certain interrogation techniques, but the limitations of Feinstein's bill would handcuff our law enforcement and intelligence agents."
BOND'S FULL STATEMENT:
"While there is certainly room for agreement between Senator Feinstein and me on reforming our interrogation policies, I cannot support this bill," Bond said in a statement. "As I’ve said many times in the past, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to interrogation. The Army Field Manual – which can be changed by the Secretary of the Army – is not an appropriate foundation for legislation. Additionally, there are times when contractors are the best qualified individuals to conduct interrogations. There is actually more potential harm to detainees if less-experienced individuals conduct interrogations, just because they are staff officers. I’m also concerned about the bill’s proposed solutions to closing GITMO. The proposal that would provide for turning over 9/11 mastermind KSM to an international tribunal is problematic. My approach is to ban the aggressive techniques prohibited by the Army Field Manual, like waterboarding. The role of Congress is to prohibit the techniques that we believe should not be legal, not mandate specific techniques to be used by all community interrogators openly in law so that al Qa’ida can update its counter-interrogation manuals," he added.
"While there is certainly room for agreement between Senator Feinstein and me on reforming our interrogation policies, I cannot support this bill," Bond said in a statement. "As I’ve said many times in the past, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to interrogation. The Army Field Manual – which can be changed by the Secretary of the Army – is not an appropriate foundation for legislation. Additionally, there are times when contractors are the best qualified individuals to conduct interrogations. There is actually more potential harm to detainees if less-experienced individuals conduct interrogations, just because they are staff officers. I’m also concerned about the bill’s proposed solutions to closing GITMO. The proposal that would provide for turning over 9/11 mastermind KSM to an international tribunal is problematic. My approach is to ban the aggressive techniques prohibited by the Army Field Manual, like waterboarding. The role of Congress is to prohibit the techniques that we believe should not be legal, not mandate specific techniques to be used by all community interrogators openly in law so that al Qa’ida can update its counter-interrogation manuals," he added.
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