ST PETERSBURG, Florida - Republican White House hopeful John McCain warned Wednesday the United States must not adopt the "torture" methods of genocidal Cambodian leader Pol Pot, or Myanmar's generals.
McCain, a former US prisoner of war in Vietnam who was tortured during his captivity, clashed openly with Republican rival Mitt Romney on the question of US interrogations of terror suspects.
"If we're going to get the high ground in this world and we're going to be the America that we have cherished and loved for more than 200 years, we're not going to torture people," McCain said in a campaign debate in Florida.
"We're not going to do what Pol Pot did. We're not going to do what's being done to Burmese monks as we speak."
McCain reacted angrily after Romney refused to say whether he belived water-boarding, a technique which is intended to make a suspect believe he is on the verge of drowning, was torture.
"It's in violation of the Geneva Convention. It's in violation of existing law," McCain said.
Former Massachusetts governor Romney said it would be unwise for any presidential candidate to stipulate what kind of methods he would countenance for terror suspects, to avoid tipping off US enemies.
"I do not believe that as a presidential candidate, it is wise for us to describe precisely what techniques we will use in interrogating people.
"I oppose torture. I would not be in favor of torture in any way, shape or form," Romney said.
col/fgf
11/29/2007 03:24 GMT