Aide says Bush seeking compromise on CIA torture ban

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is seeking a compromise with a leading Senate Republican over its efforts to exempt the CIA from a proposed ban on torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners, President George W. Bush's national security adviser said on Sunday.

"We are working hard in good faith on both sides to come up with an approach that can be supported by the president and the Congress, to both find a way to be aggressive in the war on terror and still comply with U.S. law," National security adviser Stephen Hadley said on "Fox News Sunday."

His comments appeared to indicate the White House has softened its strong opposition to a blanket ban on degrading and inhumane treatment of detainees in U.S. custody passed by the Senate in October.>..>>>>snip

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2005-12-04T170406Z_01_MOL461253_RTRUKOC_0_US-SECURITY-DETAINEES.xml

just keep doin' whatcher doin'. hyuk hyuk.

"Seeking a compromise" on torture. I never thought I'd live to see my beloved country sink this low.

And where are the so-called 'Christians' who support this Administration? I guess they're "seeking a compromise" on their alleged faith and principles.

What is to compromise? It is clearly spelled out in International Law let alone our laws.

Bush seeking compromise on CIA torture ban: aide
Sun Dec 4, 2005 12:35 PM ET

By Mohammad Zargham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is seeking a compromise with a leading Senate Republican over its efforts to exempt the CIA from a proposed ban on torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners, President George W. Bush's national security adviser said on Sunday.

"We are working hard in good faith on both sides to come up with an approach that can be supported by the president and the Congress, to both find a way to be aggressive in the war on terror and still comply with U.S. law," National security adviser Stephen Hadley said on "Fox News Sunday."

His comments appeared to indicate the White House has softened its strong opposition to a blanket ban on degrading and inhumane treatment of detainees in U.S. custody passed by the Senate in October.
(snip)

"We comply with U.S. law, we respect the sovereignty of the countries with which we deal, and we do not move people around the world so that they can be tortured," he told Fox.
(snip/)

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-12-04T173454Z_01_MOL461253_RTRUKOC_0_US-SECURITY-DETAINEES.xml&archived=False

Asked specifically whether Washington operates secret prisons in Europe, he repeated that Rice will address the issue.

But if such operations were going on "they're the kinds of things that one cannot talk about.

"Why? Because the information would help the enemy. It would compromise the operations and it would put countries who are cooperating with us at risk," he said, stressing that it should not be inferred from his remarks that secret CIA prisons exist.

"As part of that cooperation for our part, we comply with US law," he added. "We respect the sovereignty of the countries with which we deal. And we do not move people around the world so that they can be tortured."

Meanwhile the same day he said this : A german taken to Afghanistan prison for 5 months by the CIA
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1964871

That phrase pretty well sums up this administration.
Since when did this country ever become so evil and backwards
that there was ever any entertaining the notion that we
could or should compromise on torture ????
What the fuck does this country stand for ??!!!!!
Good lord ! We live in a true banana republic.
But what do ya expect..
we are ruled by a chimp.

(More "clarifications" from Stephen Hadley on "Fox News Sunday.")

Bush seeking compromise on CIA torture ban: aide

Sun Dec 4, 2005 01:23 PM ET

By Mohammad Zargham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is seeking a compromise with a leading Senate Republican over its efforts to exempt the CIA from a proposed ban on torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners, President George W. Bush's national security adviser said on Sunday. "We are working hard in good faith on both sides to come up with an approach that can be supported by the president and the Congress, to both find a way to be aggressive in the war on terror and still comply with U.S. law," national security adviser Stephen Hadley said on "Fox News Sunday."

Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, whose proposal for a ban on "cruel, inhumane and degrading" treatment of detainees was passed by the Senate in October over White House objections, said he would not compromise on torture. Hadley's comments appeared to indicate the White House has softened its strong opposition to the blanket ban on degrading and inhumane treatment, which was passed by a 90-9 vote as an amendment to a $440 billion Pentagon funding bill.

The legislation was widely seen as a rebuke to the White House and an effort to repair the damage to the U.S. image caused by reports of prisoner abuse in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Vice President Dick Cheney led a White House bid to exempt the CIA from the ban, arguing that it would hamper the U.S. war on terrorism. Bush last month defended the effort to stop the Congress from imposing rules on the handling of terrorism suspects.

"What the president has said is that we do not torture," Hadley said. "And he said that while we need to be aggressive in the war against terror, we also have to do it in a way that complies with U.S. law, with U.S. treaty obligations and with the Constitution."

<http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=10478081&src=rss/politicsNews>
(more at link above)

torture is bad. torture is wrong. torture is against the law - both federal and international

"cruel, inhumane and degrading" treatment is also wrong. It's also bad and, will wonders ever cease, it's ALSO illegal under federal and international law.

"We also want thumbscrews and branding irons, but will relent on pulling out fingernails."

These chickenhawk assholes are a bunch of fucking punk asses.

:argh:

What is this, 15th century?? JESUS CHRIST!!!! We're a civilized (right?) society. These criminals do not represent me, they do NOT represent America! I want the rest of the world to know that. We are not as backward as we appear on the news. I am truly embarrassed for my country.