White House Fought New Curbs on Interrogations, Officials Say

[Rhiannon12866]

By DOUGLAS JEHL and DAVID JOHNSTON

Published: January 13, 2005

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.

In a letter to members of Congress, sent in October and made available by the White House on Wednesday in response to inquiries, Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser, expressed opposition to the measure on the grounds that it "provides legal protections to foreign prisoners to which they are not now entitled under applicable law and policy."

Earlier, in objecting to a similar measure in a Senate version of the military authorization bill, the Defense Department sent a letter to Congress saying that the department "strongly urges the Senate against passing new legislation concerning detention and interrogation in the war on terrorism" because it is unnecessary.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/13/politics/13intel.html?ex=1263272400&en=e1462484e63ad491&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo

[leftchick]

1. Tortures-R-US!

I am so ashamed of this country.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. I agree. It is tough to countenance

We were already unpopular in Europe because of the preponderance of capital punishment in this country, but these hideous and well-publicized torture incidents are just beyond anything that anyone can accept. Does anyone have a rock that I can crawl under?:-(

[Solly Mack]

3. What's that saying about so low you have to reach up to scratch

a snake's belly?

Truly shameful

[bowens43]

4. This administration is pure evil.

They are every bit as evil and vile as Saddam's government was.

[truthisfreedom]

5. just a little bit more. after all, their people invented Saddam.

and the terrorists.

[bowens43]

13. Al Qeada is a also a creation of a 'conservative' administration.

Between the actions of ronnie raygun and the idiot , it's a wonder our country still exists.

[leftchick]

6. more so because...

The US puts people like Saddam in power and supports other lying evil torturing dictators around the globe.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. Saddam was supported during the '80s by the Reagan and Bush Sr.

administrations, when he fought the Iranians. He would have never have survived if it wasn't for U.S. support and aid, mainly weapons. Why is no one bringing this up?:shrug:

One more chance to post my favorite animation::-(
http://www.markfiore.com/animation/whoops.html

[Judi Lynn]

14. Really worthy animation! Never have seen it before. Thanks. n/t

[Rhiannon12866]

7. Those who were tortured in Abu Ghraib said that this was worse

So how terrible was this?! The invasion was bad enough, but this has to prove to be unforgivable. Yes, this is bad, but the fact that this continues makes us even new enemies, throughout the world, putting any traveling American citizen in danger, and especially our troops who are still in Iraq. *sigh*:-(

[teryang]

9. legal protections to which they are not now entitled?

that's funny. I thought torture was universally proscribed by law and treaty.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. It is.

Think back to when Jessica Lynch's unit was captured in Iraq. I remember Bush* railing to the press about the Geneva Accords, after these poor scared people were shown on Al Jazeera. But now, these rules are arcane and "quaint." I guess it depends on which side of the torture chamber that you're sitting on. And it really scares me, and I can't figure why it doesn't dawn on Bush*, what our troops are in for, if they are captured now, after all this.
:scared:

[teryang]

11. I know, Condi's lying again

She can't help herself. The blind venality of fascists is truly astounding to watch in operation.

[Rose Siding]

12. They are out of control and Congress won't reign them in

Harman even seems to agree with them:

Ms. Harman said, "If there are special circumstances around some intelligence interrogations, we should understand that before we legislate."

The DoD says don't make a law- we don't need it. Ok, fine, then it shouldn't MATTER to you.

[Moderator]

15. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1146318