Why is there an amendment prohibiting torture in the defense appropriations bill? First, torture gives aid and comfort to the enemy. In this era of media saturation, virtually everything we do is found out and told to the world. So torture of our enemies gives them an ideological weapon more powerful than the ones they already use.

Second, torture degrades the men and women who take part. These are our own sons and daughters, who signed up to help keep the country free. Would you expect their superiors to order them to do such things as we have seen and heard about at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo?

Third, the practice of torture dishonors our nation. The vice president’s request of Congress, to allow torture in some cases, is a request to forgo our national honor in the interest of short-term security. I believe, as our senators do, that this is a serious strategic error. In the long run, fear isn’t enough to maintain America’s strength. Only a nation that is respected can continue to lead the world.

Our nation is at a moral turning point. The administration’s flirtation with the methods of the “dark side” has been allowed scope in the post-9/11 period. It is now a tangible threat to liberty and to our country’s future. It must be unequivocally refuted by all Americans of goodwill, especially religious leaders.

Our Congress needs support as it preserves the amendment prohibiting torture in the defense appropriations bill.

Joe Makley, West Paris