WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Questioning of suspected terrorists "won't go forward" unless Congress clarifies a U.S. standard for the treatment and interrogation of wartime prisoners, President Bush warned on Friday.
During a Rose Garden news conference, the president launched the latest salvo in efforts to write new rules that Bush said would clarify how Geneva Conventions provisions apply to detainee interrogations.
Critics, including three high-profile Republican senators and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, say it's an interpretation that could threaten the safety of U.S. forces overseas.
"You cannot ask a young intelligence officer to violate the law," Bush said. "If Congress passes a law that does not clarify the rules ... the program is not going forward."
Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a former Vietnam prisoner of war, is among several powerful Republicans who have denounced Bush's proposal, which the president said is vital to winning the war on terrorism.
The intra-party squabble comes as many GOP incumbents use the war on terrorism as a campaign issue in hopes of keeping control of Congress after midterm elections, which are weeks away.
"My job and the job of the people here in Washington, D.C., is to protect this country," Bush said.
"This enemy has struck us and they want to strike us again, and we'll give our folks the tools to protect this country, that's our job."
Bush said time is running out for Congress to act as legislators are set to adjourn in two weeks. "Congress needs to act wisely and promptly, so I can sign good legislation," he said.
The Senate Armed Services Committee, which controls the legislation, defied Bush on the issue this week despite a rare visit to the Capitol by the president himself Thursday to lobby lawmakers.
A bill ignoring Bush's proposals passed the GOP-run committee, and it moves next to the Senate floor for debate. It's still possible that a bill that includes Bush's proposal also could come up for Senate debate.
"We can debate this issue all we want," Bush said, but "the bottom line is ... this program won't go forward if there's vague standards applied" to the law, Bush said.
"We make it stronger, we make it clearer, we make it definite."
Bush said, "What I'm concerned about is if we don't do that, that it's very conceivable our professionals could be held to account based upon court decisions in other countries.
"I believe Americans want us to protect the country, to have clear standards for our law enforcement, intelligence officers, and give them the tools necessary to protect us within the law."
Split within GOPThe committee's bill differs from the administration's proposal in two major ways: It would permit terror suspects to view classified evidence against them and does not include a re-interpretation of a Geneva Conventions rule that prohibits cruel and inhuman treatment of detainees.
In a decision this summer, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the administration must meet the Geneva Convention's Common Article 3 standards in its treatment of detainees.
Article 3 prohibits nations engaged in combat not of "an international character" from, among other things, "violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture" and "outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment."
The House Armed Services Committee sent the administration bill to the House floor in a 52-8 vote Wednesday.
On Iran's nuclear programBush talked about the ongoing controversy over Iran's nuclear program and U.S. suspicions the country intends to develop a weapon.
"There's common consensus that we need to work together to prevent the Iranian regime from developing that nuclear weapons program," Bush said.
"I have -- I am pleased that there is strong consensus. And now the objective is to continue reminding the Iranian regime that there is unanimity in the world and that we will move forward together."
Other highlightsOn immigration and border security: Bush said legislators "wanted to know whether or not we were implementing border security measures that they had funded last January. And the answer is: 'We are.' "
On Iraq: "It's no question it's tough. What I look for is whether or not the unity government is moving forward, whether or not they have a political plan to resolve issues such as oil and federalism, whether or not they're willing to reconcile and whether or not Iraqi troops and Iraqi police are doing their jobs."
On war on terror: "I said the other night in a speech this is like the ideological war of the 21st century, and I believe it. And I believe that if we leave that region, if we don't help democracy prevail, then our children and grandchildren will be faced with an unbelievable, chaotic and dangerous situation in the Middle East."
On Sudan's Darfur crisis: Bush said, "I'm frustrated with the United Nations in regards to Darfur. I have said, and this government has said, there's genocide taking place in Sudan. ... I'm troubled by reports I hear about escalating violence. I can understand the desperation people feel for women being pulled out of these refugees centers and raped. And now is the time for the U.N. to act."
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CNN's Ted Barrett and Andrea Koppel contributed to this report.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/09/15/bush/index.html
