US Senate votes to regulate interrogation of war detainees

Defying the White House, the US Senate has voted to set new limits on interrogation of war detainees, signaling US lawmakers' growing concerns over the military's abuse scandals.

The Senators on Wednesday night voted with 99-9 to support the regulation of the interrogation techniques that US troops may use against terror suspects, reflecting widespread alarm over treatment of prisoners in Iraq, Afghanistan and the US naval base at Cuba's Guantanamo Bay.

The White House had fought to prevent the restrictions, with Vice President Dick Cheney visiting key Republicans in July and a spokesman repeating US President George W. Bush's threat to veto the larger bill that the detainee language is attached to a 440-billion-US-dollar defense bill.

Republican senate leaders had tried to fend off the limits this summer, but 89 Senators on Wednesday sided with Senator John McCain, a former prisoner in the Vietnam War who led the fight for the interrogation limits.

McCain, a Republican, warned that if US government let go those abuses, that will make the US troops no difference with their enemies.

Wednesday's vote marked another move of the Senate to challenge Bush's war policy.

Some Senators also sent Bush a letter demanding more information about how he intends to succeed in Iraq.

The US military came under fire throughout the world two years ago upon the release of photos showing US troops humiliating and terrifying inmates at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, followed by a series of revelations of other abuse scandals elsewhere.

Source: Xinhua