Obama had hoped to avoid torture flap

WASHINGTON, April 23 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama has been drawn into a controversy over his predecessor's use of harsh interrogations that Obama had hoped to avoid, sources say.

Obama reportedly had wanted to put the emotional debate over the use of what many consider to be torture employed by the administration of President George W. Bush against terrorism detainees behind him. He thought he could do so by banning such practices when he took office and by releasing declassified memos on the subject while declaring that no one who followed the interrogation orders would be prosecuted, The Washington Post reported Thursday without naming sources.

But revelations contained in the documents have instead created a firestorm of reaction, bringing criticism onto the president from right and the left. Republican critics, including former Vice President Dick Cheney, contend the move shows softness on terrorism, and key congressional Democrats are demanding that Bush administration officials be prosecuted under a torture "truth commission," the newspaper said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stepped up Democratic calls to form a commission, urging Obama Wednesday not to give immunity to anyone who illegally abused terror detainees, the New York Post reported.