Posted on 10/05/2005 8:08:18 PM PDT by FairOpinion
The Senate defied the White House yesterday and voted to set new limits on interrogating detainees in Iraq and elsewhere, underscoring Congress's growing concerns about reports of abuse of suspected terrorists and others in military custody.
Forty-six Republicans joined 43 Democrats and one independent in voting to define and limit interrogation techniques that U.S. troops may use against terrorism suspects, the latest sign that alarm over treatment of prisoners in the Middle East and at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is widespread in both parties. The White House had fought to prevent the restrictions, with Vice President Cheney visiting key Republicans in July and a spokesman yesterday repeating President Bush's threat to veto the larger bill that the language is now attached to -- a $440 billion military spending measure.
But last night, 89 senators sided with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a former prisoner of war in Vietnam who led the fight for the interrogation restrictions.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
These clowns have clearly forgotten if this idiotic law passes with 90 yays.
President Bush was there before the dust settled. If he saw what I saw, there is no doubt he will do the right thing.
"I hear you. The whole world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear us all soon."
"We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail."
Sheriff Joe Arpaio for Senator!
I bet he wouldn't have voted for this bill to coddle terrorists.
Thank GOD the Oklahoma delegation sticks together on the right side (damn glad Coburn stood up to McLame). After the bombing of the Murrah building and at OU last weekend, I have zero sympathy for anyone who uses terrorism as a weapon.
The "nays":
Allard (R-CO)
Bond (R-MO)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Stevens (R-AK)
John Corzine, whose state bore the brunt of the 9/11 casualties, did not vote. What a guy.
Joe Arpaio in Arizona.
When writing to House Representatives, ask to make sure they strip out in Conference to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the bill the following Senate Amendment:
(The House bill passed, and this amendment is not in it)
Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 1977 to H.R. 2863 (Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006 ) that is on page S10909.
Statement of Purpose: Relating to persons under the detention, custody, or control of the United States Government.
LINK:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00249
Full Text of the Amendment S. Amdt. 1077 to delete in Conference:
[Page: S10909]
"(a) In General.--No individual in the custody or under the physical control of the United States Government, regardless of nationality or physical location, shall be subject to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
(b) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to impose any geographical limitation on the applicability of the prohibition against cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment under this section.
(c) Limitation on Supersedure.--The provisions of this section shall not be superseded, except by a provision of law enacted after the date of the enactment of this Act which specifically repeals, modifies, or supersedes the provisions of this section.
(d) Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Defined.--In this section, the term ``cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment'' means the cruel, unusual, and inhumane treatment or punishment prohibited by the Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, as defined in the United States Reservations, Declarations and Understandings to the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment done at New York, December 10, 1984."
Once again my two Oklahoma Senators came through and voted against the terrorist. Best two Senators in the Senate from any State IMHO!
"my two Oklahoma Senators came through and voted against the terrorist."
They are true Americans, unlike the 90 who worry more about the terrorists wellbeing, than the lives of the American people.
Ditto that...
It sounds like the Senate just decided the terrorists have the same rights as anyone else. What next? The answer to that is a right to lawyers and courts. We are one step closer to forcing the military to provide Miranda warnings.
I hope this gets quietly dropped in a Senate/House reconcilliation process.
What are these people thinking?
Yeah, who are they? 9 or 10?
Here's a link to those who voted for / against
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00249
The only NAYS were as follows:
NAYs ---9
Allard (R-CO)
Bond (R-MO)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Stevens (R-AK)
Also see post 37 for the actual text of the amendment -- read it and weep.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1497443/posts?page=37#37
Amen! We, too, had a homecoming for one of our neighbors this past weekend. Rock solid conviction to the core, this man.
These senators? The conviction of 90 of them put together wouldn't fill a thimble.
Memo to U.S. troops...DEAD terrorists aren't prisoners...carry on...
Of course, the most important thing is this: does anyone actually believe Bush would make good on a veto threat after the transportation bill?
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