Bush vetoes bill banning waterboarding

Last Saturday, President Bush said he would veto a bill banning waterboarding, explaining "The bill Congress sent me would take away one of the most valuable tools in the war on terror..." The bill simply proposed to limit the CIA's ability to use unconventional methods of interrogation, restricting them to the same methods allowed in branches of the armed services. After the bill was passed by both the House and Senate, I have trouble understanding the rationale. Why does the CIA need exclusive interrogation privileges? The article is pretty self explanatory so I will let you read. Just curious about everyone's thoughts on the issue.

Being a gay Iranian

Mehdi Kazemi, a 19 year old boy from Iran was granted a visa to pursue his studies in the UK in 2004. Some time later he received news that the Iranian authorities had arrested a male friend of his who had claimed to be in a relationship with Mehdi. Mehdi, afraid to return to Iran, filed for asylum in the UK. When his claim was refused by the home office, Mehdi fled to the Netherlands afraid of the consequences he would face in Iran for the 'crime' of being gay. He is presently held by the police in Rotterdam and is under suicide watch. Recently when the Iranian President was in the US, he claimed that there were no gays in Iran. In a country where being gay is so openly condemned, Mehdi most likely faces the fear of persecution. He is scheduled to be returned to the UK and could face deportation. Should not a 19 year old boy be granted asylum when his life is so obviously in danger on return to his country? And on a larger scale should not something be done about the Iranian government that persecutes the homosexual community in Iran due to their sexual orientation?