The Moral Abyss

It is good to see Democrats in the House taking a stand.

WASHINGTON — Defying a veto threat from President Bush, the House of Representatives voted Thursday to prohibit waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods used by the Central Intelligence Agency against high-level prisoners from Al Qaeda.

The 222-to-199 vote, largely along party lines, sends the legislation to the Senate, where passage is less certain. The measure, part of the intelligence authorization bill, would restrict all American interrogators to techniques included in the Army Field Manual, which prohibits the use of physical force.

No one will be shocked to learn that Bush threatens to veto the bill. Which is all he can do these days. Bush does not have the political acumen or willingness to negotiate. Bush will veto the anti-torture bill and help drive his party off the cliff.

Bush should be fearful is that legally declaring waterboarding torture would put himself and other administration officials in legal jeopardy.

Support of waterboarding illustrates how far Bush has drove the GOP into a moral abyss.