Republicans seek tougher Guantanamo rules

[struggle4progress]

(AFP) – 15 hours ago

WASHINGTON — ... House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon, who led the effort, cited "serious concerns" about Obama's decree that detainees would have the right to a periodic review of the reasons for their continued detention.

The Republican bill would deny detainees access to legal counsel for such reviews, and stipulates that a decision on whether to transfer or release a detainee must be tied to the threat individual is seen to pose to US interests as well as the particular country to which they could be sent.

The measure also permanently forbids the transfer to US soil of all individuals held now or in the future based on the 2001 congressional authorization to use military force against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

And it prohibits the transfer or release of those held at Guantanamo Bay or Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan unless the US defense secretary certifies that the host country meets certain security criteria ...

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iG23sXOigbeeYn_GAn9vpvwJnmjA?docId=CNG.18fc58cd464ba5d3197d3444a57e8dcf.81

[frylock]

1. why the fuck not?

they smell the blood in the water. why not continue to press for ever more draconian policy if there will be no resistance?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. Chilling

He has "serious concerns" about periodic reviews?
:wtf:

Also, how can they legally deny detainees access to legal counsel for reviews? Who's going to be able to represent them exactly?

Any comments from the WH? Any brave souls in the Senate who can *threaten* to filibuster this. This will undoubtedly get through the House but hopefully there won't be broad enough support in the Senate to get this through, especially if at least one of them filibusters it. If this makes it through to President Obama, I hope it dies a painful death. :puke:

[Cali_Democrat]

3. They saw Obama back down on indefinite detentions and now they're going for the kill

This shows us 2 things:

1) Republicans will keep moving further to the right if you attempt to "reach across the aisle"
2) People's human rights will usually suffer when u make deals with those bastards.


I really wish Obama would stand up for justice, being that he's a former constitutional law professor and all...