White House Closer on McCain Torture Ban

AP/Drudge ^ | 12.15.05 | Liz Sidoti

[pleikumud]

Next will be the Terrorists Bill of Rights, including a ban on "hate speech" against terrorists. We have taxation without representation still, after 230 years.

[Txsleuth]

That was a disgusting post about President Bush....you ought to take that act to DUmmieland.

[conservativefromGa]

For the love of God, please veto one bill during your presidency President Bush.

[Txsleuth]

I have see posts that say that McCain has managed to attach this to a defense spending bill that provides armor and money for our troops...

therefore, makes it impossible for Bush to veto the bill.

I disagree...I think that if he were to say that it is already against the law for America to "torture" prisoners, but, that for the safety and security of our country...he could not in good conscience allow a bill to go through that takes certain tools and methods away from the POTUS in case of emergency....

I think that he would be "hailed" as being consistent...in his backing FOR the troops...as this gives them more rights than Al-queda and any other terrorist prisoners that they have to deal with...

[EagleUSA]

The White House is just using this as as face saving.
-----
Yes -- and that is what I hate about this President. If he were standing ON PRINCIPLE AND WHAT IS RIGHT, he would fight it AND VETO IT. Let his legacy show he fought it, and put the blame on the McCain and the Congress --- THEN! But no, just taking the path of least resistance.

But he just caves for the sake of politics. Weak and limp. That is not why we worked so hard to put Bush in the White House for two terms -- and this is what we get. He caved on education, he caved on spending and serious tax reform, and he quit in the fight for real SS reform....and now he is silent (and probably supportive) of the Congress delaying the AMT (alternative minimum tax) reform which is going to raise taxes for about 20 million Americans...and we know why.

Sorry but this President has a very well documented trail of domestic weakness and capitulation.

[meandog]

That was a disgusting post about President Bush....you ought to take that act to DUmmieland.

...Disgusting, hardly! Bushbots have no problem continually trashing the reputation and honesty of heroic Americans like John McCain...but, when they get a dose of their own medicine, they can't stand the heat...

[Howlin]

I'm thinking along those same lines, friend.

[Howlin]

I've given everybody who has called here *quite* an earful ...and no $$$.

[Howlin]

Thank you for that information.

Perhaps I'll wait for the details.

[Howlin]

Gully, uh, ah sho' wud lack to be an 'merican hero lack John is...but, uh, it wud mean ah haf to be accountable for mah actions and, aftuh all, ah was tankin' up on alcohol, nose candy, missin' mah scheduled Guard drills, an gettin' arrested for DUI when John here was in, uh, the Hanoi Hilton after fightin' for his country.

Actually, McCain was busy using HIS FATHER'S name to get into the Navy, crashing almost every plane he got in, set the Forrestal on fire, sang his guts out in Hanoi, and destroyed any and all evidence of possible POWs left in Vietnam along with his pal, John Kerry, stole money from the taxpayers and denied it, covered for his drugger wife AND the money SHE scammed from people, all the while stabbing the American public in the back.

[michigander]

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 15, 2005

President Meets with McCain & Warner, Discusses Position on Interrogation
The Oval Office

2:41 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: It's my honor to welcome two good friends, the Chairman, John Warner, and, of course, John McCain -- Senator John McCain, here to the Oval Office. We share a common goal, and that is to protect the American people and to win the war on terror.

Senator McCain has been a leader to make sure that the United States of America upholds the values of America as we fight and win this war on terror. And we've been happy to work with him to achieve a common objective, and that is to make it clear to the world that this government does not torture and that we adhere to the international convention of torture, whether it be here at home or abroad. And so we have worked very closely with the Senator and others to achieve that objective, as well as to provide protections for those who are on the front line of fighting the terrorists.

And so I appreciate your hard work, Senator. You're a good man who honors the values of America. I also appreciate the strong support that you've given -- both of you have given in the war on terror. The central front of that war is Iraq. Part of our strategy is to train Iraqis so they can join our forces and fight off the terrorists and, eventually, have the Iraqis be able to stand on their own. The other part is the democratic process that will help marginalize the Saddamists and the rejectionists.

And today, the Iraqi people went to the polls. I was so honored to welcome some young Iraqi Fulbright Scholars here that were able to vote, and to see the joy -- and to hear the joy they expressed and to see the joy on their faces after having just voted in a -- for a permanent government and a new constitution was just a fantastic experience.

And so I want to welcome you all to the Oval Office. Thanks for coming. Thanks for your good work on behalf of America.

SENATOR McCAIN: Thank you, Mr. President. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the effort that you made to resolve this very difficult issue. I thank you for your active participation in it. And I also want to thank your National Security Advisor, Steve Hadley, who played a very important role, as well. And I'm very pleased that we reached this agreement, and now we can move forward and make sure that the whole world knows that, as the President has stated many times, that we do not practice cruel, inhuman treatment or torture.

This agreement basically does two things: One, puts into the Army Field Manual the specific procedures for interrogations. And two, it prohibits cruel, inhumane -- or torture.

In our negotiations, there was legitimate concerns raised by the administration concerning the rights of interrogators. And taking language from the Uniform Code of Military Justice, we provide them with legal counsel and certain protections that a reasonable person might view as carrying out of orders, not to contradict the Nuremberg decision, which, of course, said that obeying orders is not a sufficient defense.

I, again, thank the President. And I would like to also repeat, we've sent a message to the world that the United States is not like the terrorists. We have no grief for them, but what we are is a nation that upholds values and standards of behavior and treatment of all people, no matter how evil or bad they are. And I think that this will help us enormously in winning the war for the hearts and minds of people throughout the world in the war on terror.

And again, I want to thank the President; I want to thank Steve Hadley; I thank all the people who worked so hard to come to this agreement. Now I think we can move forward with winning the war on terror and in Iraq.

I thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: Thanks, John.

END 2:45 P.M. EST

[Howlin]

Fox just said that McCain didn't want to cover civilians.

Go figure.

[beyond the sea]

Actually, McCain was busy using HIS FATHER'S name to get into the Navy, crashing almost every plane he got in, set the Forrestal on fire, sang his guts out in Hanoi, and destroyed any and all evidence of possible POWs left in Vietnam along with his pal, John Kerry, stole money from the taxpayers and denied it, covered for his drugger wife AND the money SHE scammed from people, all the while stabbing the American public in the back.

I think you have just about all of it........... maybe the abominable CFR legislation could be a nice addition.

[TheForceOfOne]

I smell ozone.

[Txsleuth]

http://www.usvetdsp.com/manchuan.htm

Read this, then tell me what a "great" guy McCain is.

[roses of sharon]

LOL, McCainiacs are just mad because the GW Bush grew up, and McCain grew insane.

[Txsleuth]

You are right about that...

I know that seeing Bush with McCain makes me feel about the same as seeing him with Kennedy after the "No Child left behind" legislation...sick.

I can't help but suspect that this whole "war hawk" reputation that McCain has, is an act...in order to get the publicity towards his run for 2008....

This amendment today...coupled with the history in that article I posted to meandog, spells "appeaser" to me.

[Patriotic Bostonian]

McCain is mentally ill. You know this and you don't give a damn! He will never and should never be president. He shouldn't be in our senate either.

[meandog]

Actually, McCain was busy using HIS FATHER'S name to get into the Navy, crashing almost every plane he got in, set the Forrestal on fire, sang his guts out in Hanoi, and destroyed any and all evidence of possible POWs left in Vietnam along with his pal, John Kerry, stole money from the taxpayers and denied it, covered for his drugger wife AND the money SHE scammed from people, all the while stabbing the American public in the back.

Actually, a submariner, I knew John McCain's father (not personally, but formally)when I was in the Navy. Also, everyone I ever knew who knew him knew a man rooted in the deepest honesty and integrity imaginable...and, I understand, the same was true of John McCain's grandfather. I met John McCain during the 2000 primaries and he impressed me that the "apple doesn't fall far from the tree"...and he takes reponsibility for what he says and does. Further, I know that, as a Naval Academy midshipman and later as a Naval Officer, if he were EVER caught DUI or had ever been associated with parties that featured cocaine and marijuana his career would have been toast. You cannot say the same about "Shrub"! Furthermore, your slanderous and libelous posting is reprehensible about both McCain and Kerry as both served their nation honorably during time of war--the U.S. Navy does not give out the Silver Star Medal willy nilly--Bush, on the other hand, still cannot verify the fact he made all of his scheduled ANG drills (Incidentally, I have a record of all my Naval Reserve drills and just about every other Reservist I know has theirs). (BTW, I voted for Bush simply because I believed he would fight the War on Terror more vigorously that Kerry would have).

[meandog]

McCain is mentally ill. You know this and you don't give a damn! He will never and should never be president. He shouldn't be in our senate either.

Mentally ill? Thank you, doctor...now, physician, heal thyself!