Rush Limbaugh Live Thread Thursday 09-28-2006

Republicans pushed a bill supported by President George W. Bush to set rules for interrogating and trying terrorism suspects through the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday and Senate Republicans were expected to follow within a day.

The House passed the bill 253-168 largely along party lines, dismissing warnings from Democrats that courts would strike down the plan for failing to meet judicial standards.

Republicans who control both chambers want to send the bill to Bush by the weekend, when lawmakers head out to campaign for November elections that will determine control of Congress.

The bill sets up procedures to try foreign terrorism suspects at the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Supreme Court struck down Bush's original plan, saying it violated U.S. and international standards.

As Senate debate on the bill got under way, Republicans defeated an attempt to pass an alternative that Democrats said would meet Supreme Court standards and help restore America's image, damaged by harsh treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay and abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

The Senate was expected to pass the bill on Thursday, after considering several other amendments.

Republicans, seeking to polish their terrorism-fighting credentials in the final days of their campaigns, depicted the new rules as tough but fair.

"By formally establishing terrorist tribunals, the bill provides a critical tool in fighting the war on terror and it provides a measure of justice to the victims of 9/11," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter, a California Republican, said the bill provides "basic fairness in our prosecutions but we also preserve the ability of our war fighters to operate effectively on the battlefield."

But Human rights groups and many Democrats said the deal gave Bush too much latitude to allow harsh interrogations and to deprive detainees of legal rights.

Rep. Ellen Tauscher, a California Democrat, said agreeing to "such an ambiguous compromise would allow the president to define torture when and how he sees fit."

Rep. Louise Slaughter, a New York Democrat, said the bill sends a signal that "America's leaders are willing to abandon our values ... in favor of thuggish tactics they hope might make them safer for a little while."

Democrats also predicted the courts would find the bill unconstitutional because it deprived detainees held without charges of the right to file legal challenges to their imprisonment.

Under a compromise worked out last week, the CIA will be able to continue aggressive interrogations, but supporters of the bill said agency interrogators would comply with the Geneva Conventions' requirement for humane treatment.

The bill also expands the definition of "enemy combatants," who can be held indefinitely without charges, to include those who knowingly support terrorist groups with arms, money and other activities.

Backers of the bill said that provision would choke off supplies to terrorist groups, but critics said it was too broad and could subject many more people to indefinite detention.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1709321/posts

IRAQ POLL: Kurds Grateful for U.S. Support

A delegation of Iraqi Kurdish officials is currently traveling through the United States right now. The mission is to build upon the great friendship between the Kurdish people and the United States of America.

Most specifically, the people of Iraqi Kurdistan wish to invite American businesses to come and help invest in the rebuilding of Kurdistan. It's a win for the people of Iraqi Kurdistan to have help in building a brighter future, and it's a win for American businesses seeking promising new opportunities.

We have launched an advertising campaign called "The Other Iraq" because there is a story to be told about Iraqi Kurdistan that most Americans have not heard. We hope you've taken a moment to watch not just our television ads - but the documentaries that tell the full story at http://www.TheOtherIraq.com

In fact, a poll taken earlier this year provided results that will likely surprise you. We hope you will review these results, and share them with others. And if possible, we'd like to hear from you about your feedback on our public relations campaign for "The Other Iraq" in the U.S.

If you, or someone you know of, can help play a role in the rebuilding of our region's future, or wish to learn more information on investment or business opportunities, please email us at info@theotheriraq.com

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The following poll was conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org and their Program on International Policy Attitudes. The poll was fielded by KA Research Limited/D3 Systems and was conducted among 1,150 Iraqis. The views of Iraqi Kurds in particular are highlighted below

>>> Thinking about any hardships you might have suffered since the US-Britain invasion, do you personally think that ousting Saddam Hussein was worth it or not?

Iraqi Kurds: 91% said it was WORTH IT.

>>> Do you think that Iraq today is generally headed in the right direction or the wrong direction?

Iraqi Kurds: 76% said RIGHT DIRECTION.

>>> Do you think that the government to be established by the newly-elected parliament will or will not be the legitimate representative of the Iraqi people?

Iraqi Kurds: 81% said WILL BE.

Despite a "negative" bias in some of the questions, Iraqi Kurds remained optimistic and resolute in supporting a better future for their country and their people and resisted attempts to "bash" the United States.

>>> It is offensive to me to have foreign forces in my country?

Iraqi Kurds: 0% said it was offensive.

>>> Do you approve of the U.S. being involved in Iraq - assisting with the economic development of Iraq?

Iraqi Kurds: 87% APPROVE of U.S. involvement.

>>> Do you approve of the U.S. being involved in Iraq - assisting with the development of Iraq's oil industry?

Iraqi Kurds: 87% APPROVE of U.S. involvement.

>>> Do you approve of the U.S. being involved in Iraq - training Iraqi security forces?

Iraqi Kurds: 96% APPROVE of U.S. involvement

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