It's Official: Torture Is Un-American

Finally, a reason to admire Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who knows a thing or two about torture, as a legislator:

The Republican-led Senate voted overwhelmingly last night to impose restrictions on the treatment of terrorism suspects, delivering a rare wartime rebuke to President Bush.

Defying the White House, senators voted 90-9 to approve an amendment that would prohibit the use of "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" against anyone in U.S. government custody, regardless of where they are held….

The proposal, sponsored by Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, also requires all service members to follow procedures in the Army Field Manual when they detain and interrogate suspects. Bush administration officials say the bill would limit the president's authority and flexibility in war.

Whole thing here.

More about McCain and torture here.

Earlier this year, Reason's Matt Welch explained why you'd never see the secret stash of Abu Ghraib photos here. Last year, he did a survey of what conservative commentators did and did not consider torture here.

And I discoursed on the Betty Grable of the Iraq War, Lynndie England, while asking who's really responsible for Abu Ghraib here.