War on terror stretches definition of torture

Re “A war’s ‘moral basis,’ ” editorial, Sept. 17

Colin L. Powell, former secretary of State, last week criticized the Bush administration by saying “the world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism.” The man who tried to sell the notion of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction to the world should have felt a moral imperative to speak out long ago but, apparently because of some misplaced notion of loyalty, did not. Instead, he waited for more than three years to elapse and for criticisms of the president’s policies to reach a fever pitch before breaking his deafening silence and belatedly piling on. I guess all we can say is: Late is better than never, but just barely.

RUSS VAKHARIA

Torrance

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We should hold ourselves to a higher standard than the fanatics torturing and then murdering hundreds of their fellow Muslim Iraqis every week and blowing up women and children, but that won’t make our troops safer if captured. There needs to be clarification of such Geneva Convention terms as “no outrages on human dignity,” which will end up being litigated. Right now there are numerous pro bono lawyers representing Guantanamo detainees. The administration is battling the lawyers, the press and Democrats who, it seems, will stop at nothing to handicap our president and military in a time of war.

JAMES V. EARLEY

Laguna Niguel

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I wish to express my appreciation to President Bush for honestly admitting to the American people that he cannot maintain our security without resorting to illegal and immoral practices such as torture. However, we must not let sympathy for our president cloud our judgment. If he is not competent to govern the nation effectively and within the bounds of the law, it is his responsibility to step down and clear the way for someone who can.

JEREMY FRIESNER

Pasadena

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Perhaps the Republican Party is taking advantage of the president’s attempts to tweak the Geneva Convention. By presenting this terrible plan, does this not allow Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a former POW, to step forward and be a voice of reason in the debate, thus propelling him into the forefront of the presidential race for 2008?

JACK ROSENBERG

Redondo Beach

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The president’s concern about the vagueness of the phrase “outrages upon human dignity,” cited in Common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention, can be “clarified in the law” by referring to the president’s favorite philosopher, Jesus, whose directive to “love your enemies” incorporates doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.

LIZ KISZELY

Irvine