Dick Durbin: “I think this amendment comes at the right moment in history. All across the world, many who are our friends and those…”

“I think this amendment comes at the right moment in history. All across the world, many who are our friends and those who are not question whether the United States is abandoning its time-honored commitment to oppose torture, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of detainees and prisoners. The scandal at Abu Ghraib touched the heart of every American because it sent entirely the wrong message about the values of this country. We are not a country that will look the other way when it comes to this sort of horrific treatment. This amendment is a reaffirmation of our statement as Americans that we are committed, as every administration has been going back to President Abraham Lincoln, to oppose torture and the kind of inhuman conduct and treatment that we saw at Abu Ghraib prison. I think this amendment also makes it clear to the Department of Defense that we want them to take this seriously, to establish guidelines consistent with our Constitution, with the laws of the land, and with the treaties that have been signed by Presidents, Democrat and Republican alike.”