Joe Biden: "Torture Of Detainees Is Unacceptable And Is Not Permitted By U.S. Law. Period."

[jillan]

October 4, 2007 -- Washington, DC – Today’s news revealed the Justice Department produced secret memos condoning the use of torture and other abusive interrogation techniques on detainees. U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) asked his colleagues to join him in condemning not only the Administration’s duplicity with Congress and the American people, but also its policy permitting torture. He reiterated his call for the Senate to support his legislation, which prohibits the torture, abuse, or mistreatment of any detainee in United States custody.

“Today’s news suggests once again that the Administration has misled Congress and the American people,” said Sen. Biden, former Chairman and senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

We cannot allow the Administration to continue to equivocate and dissemble on this matter,” said Sen. Biden. “We need to send a clear message – to the Administration, to the foreign partners with whom we must cooperate to effectively combat terrorism, and to concerned individuals all over the world – that torture of detainees is unacceptable and is not permitted by U.S. law. Period.”

The article goes on to mention Biden's National Security with Justice Act which he introduced in July.
*Close Black Sites & Extra-Judicial Prisons
*Prohibit Extraordinary Rendition
*Prohibit the Torture or Mistreatment of Detainees in U.S. Custody
*Modify the Definition of “Unlawful Enemy Combatant”
*Extend Habeas Corpus to Detainees

Read the details to his Nat'l Security Act at
http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/48734138_joseph_biden_joe_biden_torture_detainees_unacceptable_and_not_permitted_u_s_law_period

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bucky]

2. The founding fathers had a theory that the larger a country gets, the less 'republican' it gets

...until finally a country gets so large that the people are simply unable to retain their liberties. We are not at that point. In fact, the United States remains the largest free and open republic in history. And yet how can you look at secret spying, secret prisons, Total Information Awareness, CIA torture sites, Gitmo, Abu Ghraib, wars for oil, phony terror alerts, dropping voting rates, and almost total Congressional compliance with all of the above... and not conclude that we're showing stress fractures along the seams of our democratic institutions.

I'm scared.

[jillan]

5. I am too. We have got to get a Dem in the WH in 2009.

And hopefully one that is willing to take a stand on everything you and Biden mentioned.

[gateley]

11. I'm scared, too. And so sad... nt

[rateyes]

3. Joe, with all due respect, what the hell is another law going

to accomplish? Dubya doesn't obey the law. Torture is already illegal. If you really want to accomplish something, call on the House of Representatives to impeach these damned war criminals.

[jillan]

4. Your right - why even bother to take a stand?

Who cares if the rest of the world thinks that we are all like Bush?

And until Pelosi and Reid get impeached, impeachment is not going to happen.

[rateyes]

7. Hey, I'm thinking about voting for Biden...

...I'm just expressing my opinion that he ought to go a step further in his condemnation. Why pass a law making illegal what is already illegal? Why not demand that the law be enforced?

[jillan]

8. I don't know what happens to bills after they are proposed.

You would think that the Dem leadership would want to make this a major issue, especially in an election year.

I *think* that it is up to the leaders to prioritize what legislation they take up and when.
But I agree, I wish Biden would push harder on this one.

[jillan]

10. I was just at a different site and someone posted this:

Interrogation Memos Spark Calls for Investigations
Congressional Quarterly
Top Democrats in Congress, saying Thursday they were caught off guard by new revelations about the Bush administration’s harsh interrogation policies, demanded documents, planned hearings and even considered perjury investigations. The flurry of activity was prompted by a report in The New York Times about two secret 2005 Justice Department memos, later acknowledged by the administration. One of them reportedly authorized the combined use of several harsh interrogation tactics, such as simulated drowning or “waterboarding,” head slapping and frigid temperatures, despite a public statement by Justice in 2004 that torture was “abhorrent.” According to the Times, the memos are still in effect. Leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary, Intelligence and Armed Services committees pressed for the documents. Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-DE), urged Congress to pass his legislation (S 1876) calling for a ban to the mistreatment of all detainees. Several Democrats condemned the practices described in the article, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)...White House spokeswoman Dana Perino, without going into details on specific techniques, acknowledged the existence of the memos but denied that the administration condoned torture. “The policy of the United States is not to torture. The president has not authorized it, he will not authorize it,” she said. “ I understand it, appropriate members of Congress have been briefed.” Sen. Christopher S. Bond (R-MO), said that the Intelligence Committee had been briefed...everal Republicans, including Bond and his counterpart on the House Intelligence Committee, Michigan Republican Peter Hoekstra, said they were comfortable with the program.

http://www.newmediajournal.us/government.htm#1005a

[gateley]

12. Didn't they get around the 'torture is illegal' irritating little law with the Patriot

Act? Or flying the 'persons of interest' to other locales so we 'technically' wouldn't be torturing them?

I have to agree --laws mean nothing to this administration.

I'd like to see like a power point presentation -- everything compiled -- and just list all the offenses, illegalities, and other acts done by BushCo under the banner of "fighting terror"

THEN there's all the abuses that are just financial skulduggery.

Cancer.

[rateyes]

13. Yeah, I keep hearing...

"The U.S. does not torture." What isn't said is, "but, we turn these folk over to people who do."

They insult our intelligence.

[PatSeg]

15. The republicans think the show "24" is real life

However, they nicely overlook the president who commits crimes against the country and is placed under house arrest. Or the VP in the last season who acts a lot like Cheney and undermines the president.

[gateley]

6. And don't forget his response at the Dartmouth, NH debate -- No Torture. nt

[jillan]

14. --

[wtmusic]

9. But Joe--it's not torture. America does not torture.

What is it? I'd love to tell you, but that's classified.

[demommom]

16. K&R