Senate passes (Sen. Lindsey) Graham measure on detainee photos

[sabra]

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

Sen. Lindsey Graham on Thursday urged the House to follow the Senate in passing his bill prohibiting the release of classified photos showing abuse and humiliation of terror suspects held by the United States.

The Senate unanimously approved the Graham measure, co-sponsored by Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, late Wednesday after a weeklong impasse that compelled President Barack Obama's personal intervention.

"They're embarrassing, they're inappropriate and they would be used by our enemies to put our troops in jeopardy," Graham, a South Carolina Republican, said of the photos.

...

Graham said he hadn't seen the controversial photos in several years, but he planned to view them again in the next week or two with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who he said had expressed an interest in seeing them.

...

"Rahm Emanuel called me yesterday about noon," Graham said Thursday in an interview. "He said the president would do whatever is required to prevent these photos from being released. He said, 'Lindsey, the president has told me to tell you that these photos will never see the light of day, but he prefers that Congress deal with this.'"

Graham said Obama promised to issue an executive order if necessary to ensure the controversial photos weren't released.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/444/story/1259981.html

[Oregone]

1. LOL. On the same day they apologize for the inhumanity of slavery

[RandomThoughts]

2. I disagree with President Obama's casual use of never.

They may be seen.

Also, the pictures do not put people at risk, the actions done, and allowed done in them put Americans at risk.

[bjobotts]

13. Nonsense:These photos are to protect Cheney/Bush and the CIA not our troops

[bjobotts]

14. Thhis sets the prescedent that everytime America or the president does something of horror

[bjobotts]

15. Then they must cover it up in secret or it will potentially harm the troops

[bjobotts]

16. Like pictures showing torture or bombing a children's hospital, then they must hide it or the troops

might suffer.

[bjobotts]

17. It gives the executive branch the power to act in secret and never be held accountable for their act

[bjobotts]

18. We all know what Liberman and Graham are but that the senate would follow these neocons shows

[bjobotts]

19. Shows what bought and bribed hypocrites our senate dems be.

[bjobotts]

20. Besides the rest of the world have seen these photos and worse and read how we tortured innocent peo

[bjobotts]

21. The only people these unreleased photos are protecting is Cheney and the CIA torturers

[bjobotts]

22. It is only Americans who have not seen them, the systemic widespread torture to connect Sadam to 9/1

[bjobotts]

23. So the desperate Bush/Cheney could justify invading Iraq , not to protect us.

[bjobotts]

24. Lieberman and Graham are helping with the cover up.Hopefull the House won't go along

[bjobotts]

25. Because this really will just void the FOIA and end government transparency

[bjobotts]

26. The gov. will be able to hide anything that makes them look bad and Graham is all for secrecy

[zipplewrath]

36. EXACTLY

the pictures do not put people at risk, the actions done, and allowed done in them put Americans at risk.

You protect the troops by not doing this crap. You protect the whole NATION by not doing this crap. You set an example for the world and protect people all over the planet by not doing this crap. You just teach the cretins how to cover their tracks by suppressing the photos.

[dbonds]

3. I would be okay with this if and only if...

They prosecuted those that caused this to happen. If it is so bad they can't release the pictures, then it is bad enough to prosecute.

[w4rma]

27. Exactly. If they are this bad then there MUST be prosecutions for the same reasons they say they

want to pass this bill.

[RandomThoughts]

42. + 1 Yea that sure is obvious isn't it n/t.

[lib2DaBone]

4. What is going on with this? Why would Obama sponsor cover up?

So if we bury our head in the sand torture is going to go away and everything will be OK?

What a shame if Bush and Cheney have to go to jail.... or maybe Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman.

Something is very, very wrong in our govt.

[bluestateguy]

5. I would favor releasing them in 20 years

We all all know what happened, and there are plenty of other photos of such abuse for those of you to look at who get your jollies off of such things.

[AlphaCentauri]

8. then in 20 years we have to rewrite the history books again

and maybe will have to remove some statues of some GOP ex-officials

[DBoon]

6. the only enemy these photos aid...

.. are the domestic enemies perpetuating torture

[AlphaCentauri]

7. This is sending a very explicit message

that the American People support the use of torture

[WCGreen]

9. HEy, I was embarressed by driving drunk back in 1977...

But that sure didn't stop the Judge for throwing the book at me...

[NV Whino]

10. They are not releasing the photos, but

Graham and Feinstein are going to take another peek at them. And what purpose, pray tell, does that serve? Buncha idiots.

[tomm2thumbs]

29. Are they are going to have a bizarre make-out session while watching the slideshow? Creepy-freaky

Is this some backwoods 'date night' with the Senators? Just askin' - with Lindsey Graham, I'll believe anything.

The fact that he 'viewed them' years ago means he doesn't know what is new in the bunch. I'll bet there are hundreds that he hasn't seen.

[saigon68]

31. Graham has a Bad case of Serial Masturbation

When he gets down to do the deed, he doesn't want other perverts to use his Masturbatory aids.

[grahamhgreen]

11. Covering up a war crime is a war crime. thetorturer.com

[EFerrari]

53. Yes, it is. n/t

[Hissyspit]

12. No impeachment, no accountability, but we can all get together on the cover-up.

What a great country.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

28. I am confident that, they are so horrific the only utility in releasing them would be,...

,...out of complete thoughtless recklessness.

However, ALL THOSE RESPONSIBLE better damn well be held to the fires of justice,...starting from the TOP,...down.

There is a post that no war crimes were committed. I figure the person who asserts that position hasn't been exposed to a scintilla of the facts.

[Senator]

30. It's Graham/Lieberman/Obama who are "embarrassing" and "inappropriate."

If there's a national security case, make it -- to the judge. Who hopefully, and rightly, would toss any vague claim of "endangering the troops" back in their faces as ludicrous paranoia.

And if there were cause to issue an executive order, Obama wouldn't "prefer" a legislative fig leaf.

This http://balkin.blogspot.com/2006/10/carl-schmitt-and-military-commissions_16.html">Rule By Exception is anti-democratic, addictive, and dangerous.

--

[mogster]

32. Imagine the Cairo speech seen against a backdrop of freshly released torture pictures

Pictures which were the result of the previous administration's policy, not Obama's policy.
Would that have helped better the US image abroad?
Instead this repub is allowed to be talking outta his ass about the need for natnl. security and how Obama called him and how Obama ensured him and how Obama really pulled the lid over this one, oh boy. His party caused these pictures to happen, the torture happened on their watch, as a result of the Bush administration policy.

"Graham said he hadn't seen the controversial photos in several years"

Yeah, says it all, doesn't it?

[go west young man]

33. Just like England at this moment in time they prefer to cover up

and operate in secret rather than expose the truth of the illegality of the Iraq War. Oh the irony that the flag wavers of so called "freedom" are the two countries that hide dirty little war crimes. Obama was recently saying that the world is watching Iran. He had it bass ackwards. The world has been watching us and they see what we do and don't do. We lie, deceive, torture, kill, and cover up. We are our own modern day Prometheus. Our media continues to spit out coordinated drivel and we continue to lap it up. The country continues to go down the drain and no one is punished for the deaths of 1 million innocent Iraqi people. Sickening Mr.Obama. Fucking sickening.

[Solly Mack]

34. ....

"Graham said he hadn't seen the controversial photos in several years, but he planned to view them again in the next week or two with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who he said had expressed an interest in seeing them."

[bread_and_roses]

35. Oh frabjous day!

As I read about Obama working hard to cover up the crimes of the illegitimate Junta, strong-arming junior Congressionals who intend to vote "no" on war-funding (kudos to Eric Massa and the others who ignored the arm-twisting), putting out his good bud Rahm to blow people off on single-payer, and in general busy with "change we can believe in" - except when it comes to the big money and big military.

All hail the Corp-o-crat Party!

[shadowknows69]

37. Well, we've almost completed our transformation into the old Soviet Union.

"This is not America"
-David Bowie

[Freddie Stubbs]

38. Unanimously? That means Kennedy, Boxer, Feingold, and Sanders supported this

[No Elephants]

39. And your point is? BTW, I don't think Kennedy has been voting unless his vote is absolutely needed.

[Freddie Stubbs]

43. It would seem that there are some issues which conservatives, moderates and liberals can agree on

[No Elephants]

45. Maybe, but this issue is not one of them. BTW, I think "passed by unanimous consent" is different

from getting a unanimous vote. This was a voice vote, then passed by unanimous consent. So, we really don't know exactly who did or did not vote for it.

If it had gotten a unanimous vote, it would be like the Patriot Act or the Iraq War Resolution meaning that some are just to chicken to vote differen from the majority.

[Freddie Stubbs]

46. Must have had a lot of support for not one Senator to raise a peep in opposition

[Soylent Brice]

40. .

[No Elephants]

41. "He prefers Congress deal with this." Leader?

[WyldRogue]

44. Well hotdamn!!!

I am sooooo pround of my elected officials!! :sarcasm:


:rant:
Looks like the Dem still have not found a spine. Am I really that surprised?? No.

And even tho Franken will be seated very soon, the Dems will bow down and capitulate anyways. Looks like it's time for me to start getting the 'old, spine-less corporatists' out and put some Dems in that have not been bought out and has a backbone and will do what's right for the country and its citizens instead of cow-towing for the bankers, ceos and the repugs.

This is absolutely my last straw to have to hear on how the Dems continually capitulate and give concessions to those that deserve none while We the People get shafted and screwed over and over.

I am one pissed voter!:grr:

[classysassy]

47. The law and order

boys and girls,should open the prisons and release every one,their crimes are no worse than mass murder.

[DebbieCDC]

48. Oh yes hide behind the fig leaf of "Congress"

Face it folks, we were sold a bill of goods last November.

Same old policies with a nicer prettier package

[fascisthunter]

49. The American Government Still Looks like its run by a Neo-Nazi Cult to the World

you can try to hide the truth, but it will always catch up with you. And after my trip to Europe, I can tell you all, that the World already knows what the American Government has done, and how its too cowardly and weak to face itself. No democracy can exist with cowards running it.

[Zhade]

50. COWARDS.

NT!

[ProudDad]

51. Fucking Cowards -- I thought the "Dems" were in charge...

Silly me.

The Dems are just as bad as the pukes when it comes to protecting the corporate USAmerikan national security state.

Piss on all flags.

And piss on those cowardly fucks too!!!

[EndElectoral]

52. Obama's BS on Transparency has become a sham.