Posted on 09/14/2006 4:12:11 PM PDT by STARWISE
Former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell came out in opposition today to White House-sponsored legislation to create special military commissions that would try terrorist suspects, saying he rejects efforts to "redefine" a key provision of the Geneva Conventions.
Powell, a retired Army general who formerly headed the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated his position in a letter to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), one of three Republican senators who are blocking President Bush's plan for military tribunals. The three -- who also include Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), a member of the committee -- are advancing an alternative tribunal bill that contains more protections for defendants.
* Powell's Letter: A letter sent from General Colin Powell (Ret.) to Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) on the attempt to redefine Common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention.
In defiance of the White House, Warner's committee approved the alternative bill this afternoon by a 15-9 vote, setting up a possible showdown with the Senate's Republican leadership. Warner, McCain, Graham and fellow Republican Susan M. Collins of Maine joined the committee's 11 Democrats in voting for the measure, which Bush today vowed to "resist" on grounds it would effectively scuttle a "terrorist detainee program" run by the CIA.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
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NOW we know: the Armitage/Powell little trickery .. the snakes are FULLY out of their hole.
DING DING KA-CHING ~!!
He's opposed this administration from the word "go".
Never liked "Colon"Powell!How he ever got to be a general must've been through affirmative action.
"Former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell"
Not the word "Former" in front of his title .....
This attempt to redefine the Geneva Convention is making a laughingstock of our military and interrogators with the jihadists.
They will know just exactly how far we can push them when they're captured and we'll have lost even the ability to make them THINK we're going to physically harm them.
At the least, these conversations should be held in closed door sessions and not discussed publicly.
And the Geneva Conventions apply only to those who wear the uniform and fight on behalf of a nation state. The jihadists don't qualify under either category.
Colon, I'm glad Bush fired you and I am sorry that he hired you in the first place. How did you ever get to the position that you did in life?
Absolutely. I've always thought Powell was more liberal than conservative anyway. In fact, all along I had thought Powell was the leaker, and I still think he has leaked a lot of things even if not this one.
For example, when he went to the UN...
Ping
This political stunt of these "Republicans" (quotes on purpose) could potentially cost a lot of lives. If there is another attack on the US because we couldn't properly interrogate terrorists, it's on their heads.
I can't figure out why there is even a debate on this. Who do they think they'll be interrogating? Martha Stewart? Don't they realize WHO the terrorists are, and what they're about?
What's more is that he is FOS. Common article 3 does not now nor has it ever applied to terrorists/unlawful combatants/scumbags.
As for McCain and his republican acolytes, screw them as well. The notion that the islamofascists will stop cutting off American soldiers heads if they are recognized under Common Article 3 is just freaking pathetic.
Powell is beneath contempt. Well the gloves are off now, I hope the Admin leaks all the damaging info regarding Powell's career "lowlights". And according to my DC insider friends, there is much in his closet that would shock and astound.
This is what drives me absolutely crazy--and the politicians and the media, even Fox, acts as though it does. It makes a mockery of the Geneva Conventions.
How did you ever get to the position that you did in life?
Probably the same way that Wesley Clark did.
"And the Geneva Conventions apply only to those who wear the uniform and fight on behalf of a nation state."
...and bear their arms openly, and are signitories to the treaty, as I recall. The terrorists are none of those.
If I remember my history, those captured out of uniform or in another nation's uniform can be summarily shot as sabotuers as was done in WWII with certain members of the SS. Nobody in 1944 or today agonizes over these executions like we are agonizing over terrorist rights today - because such executions are perfectly legal under Geneva.
I think your point is spot on that these conversations should be behind closed doors.
People we know who served with Powell know. He stabbed a lot of people in the back plus capitalized on his race. He was not a man you wanted to trust, according to them, and that is something I wish the President had realized.
I am sick and tired of being forced to play by the rules while our enemies don't. America is the only coutry in the world that is held to any scrunity at all. We throw water on a person and we are called nazis, yet our POWS are beaten to death and the world wonders what we did to make them angry.
Our boy strikes again!
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