Letter from high-ranking retired members of the U.S. Armed forces to Senator John McCain, dated September 2005
September, 2005
Dear Senator McCain:<snip>
The abuse of prisoners hurts America’s cause in the war on terror, endangers U.S. service members who might be captured by the enemy, and is anathema to the values Americans have held dear for generations. For many years, those values have been embodied in the Army Field Manual. The Manual applies the wisdom and experience gained by military interrogators in conflicts against both regular and irregular foes. It authorizes techniques that have proven effective in extracting life-saving information from the most hardened enemy prisoners. It also recognizes that torture and cruel treatment are ineffective methods, because they induce prisoners to say what their interrogators want to hear, even if it is not true, while bringing discredit upon the United States. <snip>
Sincerely,
General Joseph Hoar, USMC (Ret.)
General John Shalikashvili, USA (Ret.)
General Donn A. Starry, USA (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Ron Adams, USA (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Robert G. Gard, Jr., USA (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Jay M. Garner, USA (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Lee F. Gunn, USN (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Claudia J. Kennedy, USA (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Charles Otstott, USA (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan, USN (Ret.)
Major General Eugene Fox, USA (Ret.)
Major General John L. Fugh, USA (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Donald J. Guter, USN (Ret.)
Major General Fred E. Haynes, USMC (Ret.)
Rear Admiral John D. Hutson, USN (Ret.)
Major General Melvyn Montano, ANG (Ret.)
Major General Robert H. Scales, USA (Ret.)
Major General Michael J. Scotti, USA (Ret.)
Brigadier General David M. Brahms, USMC (Ret.)
Brigadier General James Cullen, USA (Ret.)
Brigadier General Evelyn P. Foote, USA (Ret.)
Brigadier General David R. Irvine, USA (Ret.)
Brigadier General Richard O’Meara, USA (Ret.)
Brigadier General John K. Schmitt, USA (Ret.)
Brigadier General Stephen N. Xenakis, USA (Ret.)
Ambassador/Former Vietnam POW Douglas "Pete" Peterson, USAF (Ret.)
Former Vietnam POW Commander Frederick C. Baldock, USN (Ret.)
Former Vietnam POW Commander Phillip N. Butler, USN (Ret.)
http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/politics/12825795.htmLetter from General Colin Powell to Sen. McCain
October 5, 2005
Dear Senator McCain, <snip>
I fully support this amendment. Further, I join General Shalikashvili and the long list of other senior officers who have written you a letter in support of the Amendment.
Our troops need to hear from the Congress, which has an obligation to speak to such matters under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. I also believe the world will note that America is making a clear statement with respect to the expected future behavior of our soldiers. Such a reaction will help deal with the terrible public diplomacy crisis created by Abu Ghraib.
Sincerely,
General Colin L. Powell, USA (Retired)
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/12825913.htm