Observing those pesky Geneva Conventions
The Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday voted 15-9 to recommend a bill -- over the objections of the Bush administration -- that would authorize tribunals for terror suspects in a way that it says would protect suspects' rights.
The bill was backed by Republican Sens. John Warner of Virginia, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Sen Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
It 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 proposal that critics say reinterprets a Geneva Conventions rule that prohibits cruel and inhuman treatment of detainees.
The bill was backed by Republican Sens. John Warner of Virginia, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Sen Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
It 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 proposal that critics say reinterprets a Geneva Conventions rule that prohibits cruel and inhuman treatment of detainees.
2 Comments:
You know, this really chaps my butt. How is it that President Bush, the nation's proclaimed "moral leader" when the last election was over, is trying to curtail the rights established in the Geneva Conventions? It makes me puke! (Or "peuk" for Ben) That is fantastic moral leadership -- let's capture people without more than circumstantial evidence after wiretapping their homes and retreiving data illegally from their cell phone provider, send then to Guantanamo for 10 years, pull out their fingernails with pliers, electrocute them, and get them to admit to whatever we want. Forget the fact that they would probably "confess" to being the Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny under those conditions. THEN we can try them in a "tribunal" without them present, and give information that they don't know about and can't get the chance to defend or explain. Heck, he's from a state with the death penalty, so let's top the whole thing off with that. *Whew* am I relieved! I was afraid for a moment there that we almost had an immoral President!
Fortunately, Sen. McCain and others are fighting this nonsense. With division even within the GOP, I'd like to hope it doesn't have a chance to pass....
By Anonymous, At 11:45 AM
The Bush Administration's discussion of modifying the Geneva Conventions works in parallel with their revision of the Golden Rule: "Do unto others, and do it to them first."
By R. Settich, At 3:37 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home