Posted on 12/15/2005 4:08:10 PM PST by armydawg1
WASHINGTON - President Bush reversed course on Thursday and accepted Sen. John McCain's call for a law banning cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of foreign suspects in the war on terror. Bush said the agreement will "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."
"It's a done deal," said McCain, talking to reporters in a driving rain outside the White House.
Under the deal, CIA interrogators would be given the same legal rights as currently guaranteed members of the military who are accused of breaking interrogation guidelines. Those rules say the accused can defend themselves by arguing it was reasonable for them to believe they were obeying a legal order.
"We've sent a message to the world that the United States is not like the terrorists," McCain said earlier as he sat next to Bush in the Oval Office.
The White House at one point threatened a veto if the ban was included in legislation sent to the president's desk, and Vice President Dick Cheney made an unusual personal appeal to all Republican senators to give an exemption to the CIA. www.drudgereport.com
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Right now over 60 % of Americans disagree with John McCain. The President has a live press conference and tells the American people that what John McCain wants is for marines and grunts in the field to have to mirandize terrorist scum. That is what this legislation does, it grants 5th and 14th amendment protections to unlawful combatants. Hell, it might not even be legal to kill them any more unless they shoot first when the courts get done interpreting this garbage.
That's how, he straps on a pair and takes a dman stand.
I've been a supporter of his through thick and thin but now I've about had it. When he endangers soldiers, intel guys and American security for political expedience, I'm done with him.
One can only hope that Bush cut some sort of back-room deal here, and that McCain has agreed not to call the Gang of 14 into action to derail the Alito nomination. However, I am not holding my breath.
Remember his father's battle with the "Wimp Factor"?
Like father, like son.
I think this is worse than the usual leftist grandstanding. The heart of this is to redefine the word "torture" until it means anything and everything. That is the key to everything that will follow. The first thing you will hear is that terrorists can no longer be handed to friendly countries for questioning. Finally, apprehending terrorists at all will be redefined as being "torture," and thus illegal.
This is a stupid law. It is going to come back
and haunt those who brought it into being, the
same way the sh*t laws about not allowing
intelligence agencies to share information
came back to haunt us with the attacks on 9/11.
Oh God..Please help me to understand how they
can be so mentally myopic, and how i can make
them see the awful consequences of their feel good
ostrichism.
You're so right! Apparently Bush has never read Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution. Mark Levin referred to this sell-out as the "Al Qaeda Bill of Rights". I guess now captured terrorists will get ACLU lawyers when they're "tortured" by being deprived of some sleep.
If I were Dick Cheney I would resign over this.
Well I guess we can finally put to rest all that "Bush belongs on Mt. Rushmore" talk. He had a chance, but failed to rise to Reagan's level. There's just too much that is adding up to too many missed opportunities.
FlipFlopFlipFlopFlipFlopFlipFlopFlipFlop
I'll say it: Bush is an idiot for doing this.
Here's one Catholic that is NOT a fan of John McCain .
Succinct comment.
I wonder if someone hides the President's veto pen from him? Is he allergic to the word, "No"? What's up with that? Popularity vs. consistency?
An Arizonan that is fed up with McCain.
I don't know what you mean by "catholics like McCain". Not only he not catholic but he was elected in Arizona last time with 77% of the vote -- so apparently all sorts of people like him.
What can you say?? We just got sold down the river.
The President wasnt satisfied signing the Unconstitutional Campaign reform Bill, Now he has to give Terrorists Constitutional rights.
This is very dissappointing.
"He had a chance, but failed to rise to Reagan's level."
Exactly right, "Squat." Very well put.
I am not entirely sure on that. Just think how much we are going to save on the war on terror now that we are no longer taking prisoners. I mean if we cannot interrogate prisoners what do we need them for?
Ps to Bush,grow some balls
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