Why Churchill Opposed Torture

While the US Military Commissions Act is considered more liberal than previous US congressional proposals concerning prisoners of war, it still opens the door to torture and long periods without trial. With the act, the US president assumes the right “‘to interpret the meaning and application of the Geneva Convention.’” The Geneva Convention, adopted in 1929, influenced the treatment of war prisoners during World War II. With the exception of Japan – which took steps to amend the Geneva Convention, using US and UK prisoners as slave labor and executing some without fair trial – most nations abided by the international code and treated their prisoners of war well. Author Niall Ferguson urges the US president to consider history and follow the wisdom of Winston Churchill, the renown UK prime minister during World War II, who supported the highest standards of justice for all prisoners of war. Countries such as the US can surely gain more power and influence with global agreements than ambiguous exceptions. – YaleGlobal