Letter to President Bush on Anti-Torture Provision in Intelligence Authorization Act, March 5, 2008

March 5, 2008

The Honorable George W. Bush
President
The White House
Washington, DC

Dear Mr. President,

The FY 2008 Intelligence Authorization Act, HR 2082, will be placed before you shortly. It contains an important provision, Section 327, which would expand the ban on torture to intelligence agencies. I respectfully urge you to sign these anti-torture provisions into law.

Torture undermines and debases the human dignity of both victims and perpetrators. It is never a necessary cruelty. Pope Benedict XVI, in a September 6, 2007 address, stated, "I reiterate that the prohibition against torture cannot be contravened under any circumstances."

The issue of torture also has a major impact on the way the United States is viewed abroad. As a champion of human rights, the U.S. should avoid being perceived as engaging in actions that contravene Common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention.

I thank you for your consideration of this most important issue.

Sincerely yours, 

Francis Cardinal George, OMI
Archbishop of Chicago
President

letter-to-president-bush-from-cardinal-george-regarding-torture-2008-03-05.pdf