Dick Durbin: “We know torture and the types of treatment, techniques, and interrogation tactics which have been prohibited by law in…”

“We know torture and the types of treatment, techniques, and interrogation tactics which have been prohibited by law in this country for many years are counterproductive. The Attorney General said as much before us. Torture does not work. People will lie for the pain to stop, and that is one of the reasons we do not engage in torture. Secondly, my colleague, Senator Biden of Delaware, made a point and made it clearly. He said, in his words: The reason the United States does not engage in torture is to protect Senator Biden's son, who is a member of the military, and other members of the military from being subjected to torture. We establish standards of humane and civilized conduct not only for ourselves but to demand them of the rest of the world. Will there be terrorists who ignore them? Of course. But who will argue with 140,000 American lives on the line in Iraq that we should somehow stoop to inhumane and barbaric conduct in this war against terrorism, subjecting all of our soldiers and many other innocent Americans to the same possibility? We have rejected that, and we should continue to reject that. I close by saying this is a very serious issue for our Nation. The world is indeed watching us. They are asking us whether the United States will stand behind its treaties in the age of terrorism. The Senate has an obligation to the Constitution and to the American people to answer these questions.”