WP,pg1: Bush Administration Rethinking Embattled Tactics in Terror War

[DeepModem Mom]

Rethinking Embattled Tactics in Terror War
Courts, Hill and Allies Press Administration
By Dana Priest
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 11, 2006; Page A01

Five years after the attacks on the United States, the Bush administration faces the prospect of reworking key elements of its anti-terrorism effort in light of challenges from the courts, Congress and European allies crucial to counterterrorism operations.

The Republican chairman of the House intelligence committee and other members of Congress have complained about not being briefed on classified surveillance programs and huge unprecedented databases used to monitor domestic and international phone calls, faxes, e-mails and bank transfers.

European governments and three international bodies are investigating secret prisons run by the CIA, and some countries have pledged not to allow the transport of terrorism suspects through their airports.

Six European allies have demanded that President Bush shut down the prison for terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, citing violations of international law and mistreatment of detainees.

And the Supreme Court recently issued a rebuke of the military commissions created by the administration to try detainees, declaring that they violated the Geneva Conventions and were never properly authorized by Congress.

Accustomed to having its way on matters related to the nation's security, the administration is being forced to respond to criticism that it once brushed aside. The high court ruling rejected the White House's assertion that the president has nearly unlimited executive powers during a time of war, and now executive branch lawyers are reviewing whether other rules adopted after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon will have to be revised, especially those concerning the Geneva Conventions....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/10/AR2006071001349.html?sub=AR

[Kagemusha]

1. Something that needs saying here...

If you believe everything coming out of Tony Snow's mouth on this issue - not that I personally see any reason why someone should - the conclusion goes something like this:

The US government has been treating all so-called detainees with all the protections afforded to them as prisoners of war until a tribunal decides they're not prisoners of war, but the government wanted to call them detainees and make a show of not giving them their rights as human beings - which they were provided at all times - PURELY FOR THE REASON OF LOOKING MORE BADASS TO THE WORLD.

In other words, looking like a nation of torturers and abusers while in no way crossing the line into violations of the laws of war was a feature, not a bug, and was itself the entire - and SOLE - point of fighting legal challenges to have the so-called detainees declared as having rights under the Geneva Convention as enacted by the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

That's messed up.

(Edit: Fixed grammar to make 3rd para clearer)

[rodeodance]

2. "Accustomed to having its way on matters "--I think they will do what they

can get away with.


.....Accustomed to having its way on matters related to the nation's security, the administration is being forced to respond to criticism that it once brushed aside. The high court ruling rejected the White House's assertion that the president has nearly unlimited executive powers during a time of war, and now executive branch lawyers are reviewing whether other rules adopted after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon will have to be revised, especially those concerning the Geneva Conventions....

[w4rma]

6. They'll go as far as they can towards treating their *political* opponents

as far outside the law that they can get away with while trying their best not to let enough people know about it and/or anger enough people about it that they lose too much power from it, because the whole point of this is their own power over Americans and not protecting Americans.

They wanted a precident and they wanted Americans to get used to folks being treated outside of the Constitution.

[rodeodance]

3. also says Congress is stepping up (prob. all show and no go!)

...."Part of the consideration internally is how to move forward and if the decision does apply more broadly," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. "We're weighing all the issues and taking a very careful look."

She disputed reports of a tug of war within the administration over changing the rules, characterizing the atmosphere instead as an "all hands on deck" debate in an effort "to find a path forward."

Congress, meanwhile, has signaled that it intends to play a major role in shaping the government's response to the court ruling. Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee will begin debating new legislation for trying detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Tomorrow and Thursday, the House and Senate Armed Services committees will begin considering their own proposals. Those two committees pushed through legislation late last year to bring prisoner interrogation rules in compliance with U.S. military and international law.

Also today, a subcommittee of the House Government Reform Committee will conduct a hearing to raise questions about the administration's strategy in Iraq, which Bush has described as an essential front in the terrorism fight.

[Straight Shooter]

4. The tactics aren't embattled. The bush admin itself is embattled.

Aside from the WP shying away from the real issue, I love that word "embattled." It just says so much. :)

[eppur_se_muova]

5. "Nah, what the Hell, we're doin' OK." Took 5 seconds to conclude, I'm sure

"After all, what could happen--he'd lose another election? HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Oh, Karl, you crack me up."

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Don't be ridiculous

The regime's idea of a war on terror wasn't thought out in the first place.