Posted on 09/15/2006 5:56:19 AM PDT by Blue Turtle
developing
(Excerpt) Read more at drudgereport.com ...
Translation: Next to terrorists, everyone KNOWS the NY Times is the Bush administration's worst enemy!
Will the democrats go into the midterm elections having blocked a vote on the program that interrogates terrorists to protect us from future attacks?
That sounds like a surefire way to lose seats.
The question is whether any of the republicans would feel so strongly about this that they would actually filibuster the bill. If not, the democrats would be hanging out there on their own.
Snow has to be coaching him. He has vastly improved.
Politicians have tried this stunt before and it backfires almost every time and I have no doubt it will backfire on McCain this time also.
No doubt our esteemed traitors would consider having to listen to the Torah being read as cruel and inhumane.
Opinion
Armed Services Committee Makes Fundamental Error
Ross Kaminsky
I have been a critic of President Bush's attitude surrounding executive power in the context of the war on terror. His position seems essentially to be that since it is a war without borders and with few other limits either he can do almost anything he wants which he claims to be part of fighting that war. I strongly disagree with that type of argument and have some sympathy with arguments that his attempt to expand the power of the President eats away at the separation of powers which is fundamental to our Republic.
However, this does not mean Bush is always wrong on legal issues surrounding the war. Thursday provided a case in point as Senate Armed Services Committee, led by Republicans John McCain, John Warner, and Lindsey Graham, passed a bill out of the Committee which directly contradicts Bush's position on treatment and trial of terrorist captives.
The Bill would effectively give terrorist captives protection under the Geneva Conventions; allow them to see classified evidence against them, and "bar statements obtained through torture or inhumane treatment." The only part of that I agree with is barring statements obtained through torture. As part of the discussion surrounding this issue, the President wanted to clarify "the terms ``cruel, inhumane and degrading'' in describing treatment barred by Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions. Bush seeks to define the treaty as barring ``severe physical or mental pain'' and ``severe physical abuse.''"
Bush's position here is exactly right. The terrorists are not entitled to Geneva Convention protections. To the degree that we must do something because of the incorrect Supreme Court ruling on the issue, we should do the minimum possible to comply. And, as Condi Rice said, where such treaty requirements are vague, we have a right to interpret them in any reasonable way we see fit. Indeed, we should interpret them in the way least generous to those whose motive is to destroy us.
The disappointing (and apparently disappointed) Colin Powell weighed in with a letter to John McCain saying that "The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism". Powell, along with McCain and friends miss the point: The ultimate "moral basis" of our fight against terrorism, in fact the moral basis for the very existence of government, is the protection of our citizens' lives.
The people (and I use that term loosely) whom we are discussing here would never offer such niceties as Geneva Convention protections to Americans they capture; we have seen enough beheadings to understand that...unless you are McCain, Warner, Graham, Susan Collins, or a Democrat.
The idea that our "reinterpreting" the Conventions in this area would leave our soldiers vulnerable to poor treatment later is a red herring.
But even if it were true, it's hard to care. What good is language that protects soldiers of a country which no longer exists? Yes, that is a bit of hyperbole, but you get my point: Government does many things, most of which it has no authority to do. What it does have authority and true responsibility for is to defend us. Giving terrorists the rights of Americans is the last thing in the world we need to do.
These Senators and Colin Powell have turned the thing on its head. Here are the right answers:
1) Bush's position on these issues does not weaken our "moral authority".
2) If someone thinks it does, I say "who cares?" Protect my life first and deal with your genteel qualms after we're safe. (I am a strong civil libertarian, but Bush's position on these issues does not threaten the liberties of Americans; I am not shy to oppose him where it does.)
3) And most importantly, the Committee's actions demonstrate clear weakness to an enemy who understands nothing but brute force.
On a domestic note, this action gives Republican voters one more reason to stay at home in November. Strength against terrorists is one of the only areas in which the public still has more confidence in Republicans than in Democrats. The actions of these four Armed Services Committee Republicans are an attack on their own Party and American citizens everywhere.
VERY GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!
Peach has a GREAT point and further illustrates McCain's hypocrisy:
"McCain himself admits, in his autobiography, that torture worked when he was tortured. Now, of course, he says that torture doesn't work."
CSPAN said 8:00 pm EST Rerun of the presser.
Excellent, thank you!
The Koz had me listed as "the most likely FReeper to become a killer." LOL! I tied for first place with Lady Jag. and there were a couple more FReepers who were voted on too. Alloutte (sp) was one of them and I don't remember who else. They posted what we said about the GHG and his using the bodies of kids to stage a rocket attack to make Israel look like they targeted a house filled with kids.
They put up a poll and members voted on us. LOLOLOL! They wanted to use "whatever means necessary to find out our identities and then track us down." They're angry, hate filled, wackos!! Little do they know that I wear mine as a badge of honor. Anything I can do to freak them out is totally kewl. ;o) They're soooo stuck on stupid at the Koz that it's pathetic.
See post# 972
I am to understand, from a person who flew with McCain, that he weighed more when he was released as a POW than he did when he was captured.
Bush is mad he's bad and he aint going to take it anymore.
What's that saying the Japanese emporer I think said after Pearl Harbor
"I fear we have just awakened a sleeping giant"
Bush has put them on notice. He is not going to be playing nice anymore.
Couple that with his approval rating going up and up and this is going to be fun.
I wish my Dad was a little younger. He has been talked to about running for office over the years but he feels he's too old now. He is so angry at Durbin.
Sorry, but I simply do not believe this is the case.
I have no doubt that the President is right on this one. How can anyone question the President wanting a law to be specific in order to protect the people fighting the WOT from foreign allegations? McCain is obviously just trying to make the President look bad and he managed to convince others he had other motives.
Actually, IMO, the President has always been great off-the-cuff at pressers. I remember thinking years ago that he should ad-lib all his public speaking. He shines.
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