President Obama and a number of members of Congress have resisted full accountability for torture, and have endorsed indefinite detention and unfair military commissions. Further, loopholes for torture and abuse remain and U.S. detentions at Bagram and other facilities in Afghanistan and Iraq do not meet human rights standards.

The U.S. government is required by law to end human rights violations and ensure accountability for them. Human rights violations are immoral, illegal and-according to military and intelligence experts-ineffective and counterproductive. There is an alternative: call on President Obama and Congress to respect human rights, follow the law and counter terror with justice.