Intelligence Chief Cites Qaeda Threat to U.S. Feb. 6 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/06/washington/06intel.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=field+manual&st=nyt&oref=slogin- Hide quoted text -

---------- Forwarded message ----------From: barry levine <levinebar@gmail.com>Date: Feb 6, 2008 10:23 AMSubject: Intelligence Chief Cites Qaeda Threat to U.S.To: letters@nytimes.com

to the Editor: In focusing on the Army Field Manual as a standard for C.I.A. conduct, we risk losing sight of the other constraints on us. Our treaty obligations proscribe torture and degrading treatment of prisoners. Each instance of waterboarding is therefore a high crime. While the old (pre-2005) Army Field Manual is a clear and defensible guide to proper behavior, it cannot supersede our treaty obligations, which our constitution names as the "highest law in the land". The newer revisions of the Army Field Manual, with their classified appendices are neither clear nor defensible, and constitute no standard at all.Barry Levine1142 Brown AveLafayette, CA 94549