Letter to the Editor of the Intelligencer, May 28, 2009

Perpetrators must be accountable

To the Editor:

Congress and the president should heed Donna Brazile's May 18 advice regarding the torture controversy, "It's no time to hide ... it's time we create an independent commission to investigate these matters."

Cheney's claims have negated the flimsy argument that this would appear too partisan. Democrats are once again being labeled soft on terror and national security.

Tackling the issue of so-called "enhanced interrogation" head-on with a comprehensive inquiry into our treatment of detainees since 9/11 is the only way to win this argument and demonstrate to the American people that torture does not make us safer - just the opposite. This is especially true for our troops on the ground. We owe it to them and our country to take a long, hard look at the evidence and then make recommendations for avoiding these pitfalls in the future.

We also have a duty to hold those responsible for war crimes accountable. The rule of law and our core values are at stake. Reagan was president when the US signed the UN Convention against Torture. Let's hear more from the real conservatives.

Barbara Glassman

Pipersville

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/news_details/article/579/2009/may/28/perpetrators-must-be-accountable.html