3 GOP senators blast Bush bid to bypass torture ban

3 GOP senators blast Bush bid to bypass torture ban
Reject assertion he has right to waive rules to protect US security
By Charlie Savage, Globe Staff | January 5, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Three key Republican senators yesterday condemned President Bush's assertion that his powers as commander in chief give him the authority to bypass a new law restricting the use of torture when interrogating detainees.

John W. Warner Jr., a Virginia Republican who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator John McCain, an Arizona Republican, issued a joint statement rejecting Bush's assertion that he can waive the restrictions on the use of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment against detainees to protect national security.

''We believe the president understands Congress's intent in passing, by very large majorities, legislation governing the treatment of detainees," the senators said. ''The Congress declined when asked by administration officials to include a presidential waiver of the restrictions included in our legislation. Our committee intends through strict oversight to monitor the administration's implementation of the new law."

Separately, the third primary sponsor of the detainee treatment law, Senator Lindsey O. Graham, Republican of South Carolina, told the Globe in a phone interview that he agreed with everything McCain and Warner said ''and would go a little bit further."
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http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/01/05/3_gop_senators_blast_bush_bid_to_bypass_torture_ban/

He'd take away their standing in any court. I think Warner and McCain are legit on this issue. But, Graham seems to change with the tides on torture.

is the slimiest, slitheriest little eel as ever escaped the bait trap. I cannot forget that all these bastards backed the fascists one hundred percent of the time and totally disrespected the democrats, through and through. They are the worst of the worst, with Graham as the sublime bottom feeder. Disgusting!

that * would use it. :grr:

That's the whole point. Congress passes legislation that, in essence, makes torture illegal without exception. Bush then says that this is all fine and good, but I get to make my own exceptions. I can understand the GOP congress being upset with this. If there's a democratic president in 2008, he can use this precedent to do all sorts of nasty things Republicans wouldn't like.

"...... Our committee intends through strict oversight to monitor the administration's implementation of the new law."


and what happens if the new law is broken? Jail time? Impeachment? or ignore it and pass another law?

It had to happen Bush is an insecure idiot, Cheney is a right wing totalitarian.

Bush wants to use claims of power to cover his being suckered into breaking the law, Cheney wants to use claims of power to claim power.

Now, like a volcano coming to life, we have at regular intervals the hissing release of claims of authoritarian power.

It may only be a matter of time until the American "protectorate of the presidency" sweeps away the old America like a pyroclastic flow.

from a democracy into a corporatocracy. where is mahatma gandhi when you need him....

'I do not believe that any political figure in the country has the ability to set aside any . . . law of armed conflict that we have adopted or treaties that we have ratified," Graham said. ''If we go down that road, it will cause great problems for our troops in future conflicts because is to prevent other nations' leaders from doing the same."

The White House did not return calls yesterday about the senators' statements. On Friday, in signing the ban on torture, Bush issued a ''signing statement," saying he would interpret the restrictions in the context of his broader constitutional powers as commander in chief. A ''signing statement" is an official document in which a president lays out his interpretation of a new law.

Kinda reminds me of someone else.......

Shrub is an out-of-control dictator who will circumvent whatever he wants for as long as he wants because he's nuts on top of being arrogant. He's an equal opportunity rights trampler as well. The guy must be impeached.

Didn't he just recently make a statement to the effect that the President can in fact do what he here says he can't? I'm confused here.

"My power comes from God."

there will be no election in '08...:tinfoilhat:

:kick: