Petri speaks up on torture; others silent

Rep. Tom Petri, is among 13 Republican House members backing an anti-torture amendment to the defense appropriations bill. The amendment, by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a former prisoner of war, was added in the Senate on a 90-9 vote but was not in the House version of the bill.

The bill is in a conference committee, and Petri joined 12 other Republicans in signing a letter asking that McCain's amendment be included in the final compromise bill.

"Inhumane treatment at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib has tarnished our reputation as defenders of human rights," said Petri. "We need to be absolutely clear that we mean what we say when we call for civilized behavior.''

The McCain amendment would place limits on the military's treatment of detainees abroad. Incredibly, President Bush has threatened to veto the bill if the amendment is included in the final version.

Wisconsin's three other Republicans -- Mark Green, Paul Ryan, and F. James Sensenbrenner -- have been silent on the issue. Maybe they are pro-torture?