NYT: White House Fought New Curbs on Interrogations, Officials Say

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 - At the urging of the White House, Congressional leaders scrapped a legislative measure last month that would have imposed new restrictions on the use of extreme interrogation measures by American intelligence officers, Congressional officials say.

The defeat of the proposal affects one of the most obscure arenas of the war on terrorism, involving the Central Intelligence Agency's secret detention and interrogation of top terror leaders like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, and about three dozen other senior members of Al Qaeda and its offshoots.

The Senate had approved the new restrictions, by a 96-to-2 vote, as part of the intelligence reform legislation. They would have explicitly extended to intelligence officers a prohibition against torture or inhumane treatment, and would have required the C.I.A. as well as the Pentagon to report to Congress about the methods they were using.

But in intense closed-door negotiations, Congressional officials said, four senior members from the House and Senate deleted the restrictions from the final bill after the White House expressed opposition.

more…
http://nytimes.com/2005/01/13/politics/13intel.html?hp&ex=1105592400&en=b34c533c1e08c5c1&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[tomkertes]

1. What is wrong with these people? n/t

[Supersedeas]

2. the People's representatives vote 96-2, but behind closed doors...

the Oligarchs win.

Bush Democracy...ain't it grand.

[htuttle]

4. You know, I wouldn't have thought they could change a bill by fiat...

...after it had been passed.

Could somebody please point out where exactly in the Constitution it says they can do that?

Didn't think so...

[punpirate]

7. Conference committee...

... to resolve differences in House and Senate bills. Senate run by Repugs, House run by Repugs, Repugs on conference committee, `nuff said. All according to the Senate and House rules.

Conference committee is where most of the surprises, unbeknownst to most representatives, have been inserted at the last minute. The raw text of the intelligence bill was 3000 pages (final bill form was about 600). So, the conference committee makes the change, releases the bill and schedules it for a vote the next day, without comment or debate, and next to no one gets to read what they're voting on.

Very neat, very anti-democratic, very dangerous.

[Supersedeas]

13. and absolutely sick and psuedo treasonous for Dems not to make more

of a stink about things like this.

Their silence is nothing less than consent.

[MsMagnificent]

15. Hun, they can do anything they want -- they're in unmitigated power

I'm even concerned with Bush & the puke's being so greedy that they'll try to extend or change the laws regarding more than two terms
...a law that will only give Reprofitcans the right to more than 2 terms!

Say Buh-bye to Democracy! Oh well, we've had our 200 years.
Tough noogies now

As for the Dem's... well it'll be Separate But Unequal for US!

Hey, while they're at it they can limit Dem's to one term
...or even outlaw a Democrat President altogether.
LOL OK OK I'm being facetious on that last comment...but with this regime... I still wouldn't bet a WHOLE lot of money they wouldn't! :(

[roguevalley]

3. then its safe to say they must all go.

[xray s]

5. Why didn't that come out at the Gonzales hearing?

WTF?

[Osamasux]

11. Really, we are just hearing about it but they had already

voted on it.

[Up2Late]

6. Question: Is it a Police State Yet?

and if it was, would anyone but us here at DU know it? :hurts:

[buzzard]

8. I know and I am a Canadian. n/t

[drscm]

9. The *Bush White House LOVES HURTING PEOPLE!

Sorry for the caps, but these bastards love nothing more than killing, killing and more killing. They don't care who it is as long as it fills their Cheneying blood-lust.

If this is compassion, I hope I never see what hate looks like.

How in the hell do these assholes remain in power? Is nothing sacred?

[bpilgrim]

10. I guess GONZO got back to'em ----------------------> mp3

http://news.globalfreepress.com/mp3/aar/mm/ill-get-back-to-you-on-that.mp3

peace

[Moderator]

12. Kick

:kick:

[MsMagnificent]

14. As you do unto others, so shall be done unto you

These KKKristians sure don't know their Bible!

& Pride going before a fall
& love of money the root of all evil

Oh man, WAY too many Biblical quotes that went down their personal memory holes
That is, if they even read the Bible to begin with! It's EASY to SAY "I'm a Christian" -- it's their ACTIONS that show their true belief!

(Edit: fixed the quote)

[hector459]

16. What more evidence do they need to file international crime charges?

If this were any other country we would be demanding sanctions against the nation that would do such a thing.

[TahitiNut]

17. "We have met the 'evil-doers' and they is us."

May these people rot in Hell. :grr:

[Kadie]

18. White House ducks questions on torture legislation - link

White House ducks questions on torture legislation

Thursday, January 13, 2005


(01-13) 16:04 PST WASHINGTON (AP) --

The White House fended off questions Thursday about whether it pressured Congress to kill a Senate proposal that would have prohibited intelligence officials from torturing foreign prisoners.

Democratic and Republican congressional aides said the proposal probably was not going to advance anyway because the House adamantly opposed it and refused to include it in any form in the intelligence overhaul bill.

The New York Times reported Thursday that Congress dropped the proposal under pressure from the Bush administration.

"We did not view the provision as necessary, because there are already laws on the book to address these issues," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Thursday in response to questions raised by the report.

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2005/01/13/national1630EST0644.DTL

[NVMojo]

19. so, I wonder what country they are saving the pyrimid building tactics

for next???

[struggle4progress]

20. kick