February 12, 2008

Washington, D.C.—Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following statement today, calling on Republicans to support the Intelligence Authorization conference report and establish a single standard of interrogation that does not permit torture:
 
“When the Intelligence Authorization conference report comes to the floor tomorrow, Republicans should join us to support one standard of interrogation – as outlined in the Army Field Manual – for the entire government.
 
“We want to abide by the manual because it works.  Gen. Petraeus has said it works effectively.  Thirty-six retired Admirals and Generals have said it is effective on high-level detainees.  And a bipartisan group of foreign policy experts – including the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the 9/11 Commission and Republicans who served as National Security Adviser, Secretary of State and Secretary of the Navy – have asked Congress to endorse the same standards in the Army Field Manual.
 
“Agreeing on one standard of interrogation will help restore our moral leadership in the world, and it is incredible that some Republicans may vote against that.  In the long run, torture does not help the United States; in fact, it can be counterproductive as the information obtained is not reliable, it puts our own troops at greater risk and it undermines our counterinsurgency efforts.”