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Pass the McCain Amendment

 
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Hater Depot



Joined: 29 Mar 2005

PostPosted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 5:03 pm    Post subject: Pass the McCain Amendment Reply with quote

http://www.andrewsullivan.com/index.php?dish_inc=archives/2005_11_06_dish_archive.html#113138031229298891

Quote:
"There's an enemy that lurks and plots and plans and wants to hurt America again. So you bet we will aggressively pursue them but we will do so under the law. We do not torture," - president Bush, today.

If that's the case, why threaten to veto a law that would simply codify what Bush alleges is already the current policy? If "we do not torture," how to account for the hundreds and hundreds of cases of abuse and torture by U.S. troops, documented by the government itself? If "we do not torture," why the memos that expanded exponentially the lee-way given to the military to abuse detainees in order to get intelligence? The president's only defense against being a liar is that he is defining "torture" in such a way that no other reasonable person on the planet, apart from Bush's own torture apologists (and they are now down to one who will say so publicly), would agree. The press must now ask the president: does he regard the repeated, forcible near-drowning of detainees to be torture? Does he believe that tying naked detainees up and leaving them outside all night to die of hypothermia is "torture"? Does he believe that beating the legs of a detainee until they are pulp and he dies is torture? Does he believe that beating detainees till they die is torture? Does he believe that using someone's religious faith against them in interrogations is "cruel, inhumane and degrading" treatment and thereby illegal? What is his definition of torture?


Emphasis mine, of course.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051104/pl_afp/usattacksciaprisons_051104001540

Quote:
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Opposition Democrats in the House of Representatives, spurred by reported
CIA use of secret prisons abroad, sought to outlaw explicitly the torture of prisoners.
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The measure was proposed by Republican Senator John McCain and adopted by the Senate 90-9 a month ago. The amendment to a defense spending bill would "prohibit cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of persons in the detention of the US government."
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gdimension



Joined: 05 Jul 2005
Location: Jeju

PostPosted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 5:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You know, for the life of me, I can't figure this one out. It's a no-brainer.

If what Bush said is true, and the government does not in fact condone torture, why not codify it?

But, more surprising to me is the fact that the administration is publicly asking for this leeway at this time. Their approval rankings are tanking (specifically, if I recall correctly, Bush's handling of the war, the population's trust in his leadership, and the general feeling of where the country is headed), more and more of the US is against the war and (seemingly) unhappy with our standing around the world, the Dems and moderate Repubs are a little more emboldened to stand up to the administration, and they are publicly making the case for not outlawing torture?

What the hell are they thinking?

For a PR machine that could sell a bicycle to a fish a year ago, this seems like a major meltdown.[/b]
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Ya-ta Boy



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994

PostPosted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 2:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's a shame McCain had to present this as an amendment. It is worthy enough to stand as a law on its own. In fact, it's a shame it even has to be submitted at all in 2005. It just goes to show how low this administration has sunk.
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