The cynical election ploy of three repug senators was shown up for what it really was when they agreed that the Bush administration would be allowed to go forward with its illegal practices of detention, interrogation and trial of accused terrorists. Congress will not pass legislation that formally reinterprets or reaffirms the Geneva Conventions (no paper trail). Nor will the Senate, at least formally, endorse the administration's use of interrogation techniques that the civilized world regards as cruel and inhumane (in other words, torture). And, 'supposedly' trials of accused terrorists will be fairer than the system outlawed in June by the Supreme Court, as if we'll ever know what the new and improved system is.
Thus, Mr. Bush will continue using the CIA to secretly detain and abuse terrorist suspects. He will do so by implementing his own interpretation of the Geneva Conventions by executive order, and by relying on more than questionable Justice Department opinions authorizing such practices as exposing prisoners to hypothermia, waterboarding and prolonged sleep deprivation and so on and so on. Under the 'compromise' agreed to yesterday, Congress would recognize his authority to do this, while preventing prisoners from any appeal to U.S. courts. CIA personnel will also be immune from prosecution for these serious abuses of human rights, both past, present and future!
Such is the result of the 'moral indignation' of senators McCain, Graham and Warner (repugs all). So, U.S. violations of international law will continue with Congressional assent- fighting terror with terror. America's moral and legal standing in the world will only continue to suffer when such 'standards' are codified into American law, as it looks will be the case.
BLOG ON
Sunday, September 24, 2006
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