Just days after the U.S. Supreme court ruled that the Bush administration is bound by the law with respect to the treatment of suspected terrorists, congressional Republicans are exploiting the issue to stoke the jingoistic passions of their base.
The GOP is gearing up to take legislative action to reinforce Bush's contention that terror suspects are not entitled to protection under the Geneva Accords.
Sens. Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham said Sunday that Congress must address the Supreme Court ruling embracing Article 3 of the conventions in the military commission case of Osama bin Laden's former driver.The AP's description of the Geneva Accords as "international law" is not accurate. The United States is a signatory to the accords. Therefore, its provisions are U.S. law. We are bound by them because we have agreed to be bound by them. It is the law of this land that we do not torture people. That being the case, the Bush administration may not torture people.
Article 3 prohibits outrages upon personal dignity, "in particular humiliating and degrading treatment," and bars violence, including murder, mutilation and torture.
In an election year, declaring that international law governs the war on terror reminds voters of some of the Republican administration's lowest moments: controversies over Justice Department "torture" memos and allegations of abuse against detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
McConnell, R-Ky., the second-ranking GOP leader in the Senate, said the 5-3 court decision "means that American servicemen potentially could be accused of war crimes."
"I think Congress is going to want to deal with that," McConnell said on NBC's "Meet the Press." He called the ruling "very disturbing."
4 comments:
unless they decide to only obey the laws that they want to.
Well, unless you've been completely asleep for the last 5 years, the GOP has been flagrantly violating international law as the RULE.
They've illegally invaded two sovreign nations without provocation causing untold housands upon thousands of needless deaths and long term horror through the use of Depleted Uranium.
Unfortunately, the Democrats are equally guilty. You see, it's ONE party with TWO faces in the US now. And it won't change any time soon.
The Bush administration DOESN'T torture people. We just send these "suspects" to countries that DO - like Saudi Arabia and Israel. We have secret prisons all over the globe. Didn't you know that? Haven't you heard of Guantanimo - it's not on US soil and therefore not subject to American Law.
couldn't have said it more clearly myself.
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