Sen. Russ Feingold: A Great Start To Restoring the Rule of Law

[Shiver]

A Great Start To Restoring The Rule of Law
Via The Huffington Post
January 22nd, 2009

Just hours after his historic inauguration, President Obama has made history again, by signing executive orders that undo, with the stroke of a pen, some of the Bush Administration's worst mistakes. President Obama is off to a great start on restoring the rule of law, and he's giving the country the fresh start we desperately need after the last eight years.

President Obama has rejected the policies of the last administration, both in his words and in his actions. In short order, he has signed orders to close Guantanamo, suspend the military commission system, subject all interrogations to the guidelines in the Army Field Manual, end long-term CIA detentions, require humane treatment of detainees consistent with the Geneva Conventions, and guarantee the International Committee of the Red Cross access to all prisoners held by the U.S. government, and announced a return to the presumption of FOIA disclosure under the Clinton administration. That is a breathtaking list, and the beginning of change that is long overdue.

*snip*

One of the phrases you hear a lot in Washington, DC, is "the devil is in the details," and that is certainly true with respect to many of these issues, especially the closing of Guantanamo. Under the new orders, detainees will essentially be categorized into 3 groups: (1) those to release or transfer to other countries, (2) those to prosecute in civilian or military courts, and (3) those we can't release but can't try. An interagency panel, led by the Attorney General, will make these determinations based on an individualized review of each detainee and will determine lawful means for dealing with individuals in the third category, consistent with the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and the interests of justice. I will closely follow how the third category of detainees is handled in the months ahead. Following up on the implementation of all these actions is important, as is working with the President on returning to the rule of law in other areas.

Full piece at above link.

***

Not sure if this has been posted yet (did a search and didn't find it), but I thought it was a great article from a truly great man. Of course, he is my Senator, so maybe I'm a bit biased... ;)

[Captain Hilts]

1. It was, but it needs to be seen again. I wish Feingold had a higher profile. nt

[Shiver]

2. I thought I'd seen it already

But as I couldn't find it, I assumed I was mistaken. Oh well, like you said, it's something that needs to be seen.

And yeah, Sen. Feingold deserves a higher profile. He would make a great Attorney General, and I'd be willing to give him up if he were offered that role.

[midnight]

3. This is such an important step in addressing this illegal

war. I just can't wait to discuss the wire tapping...The banks....This is but the tip of the pile of lawlessness.

[Captain Hilts]

4. "Nation of laws, not men..." and so forth. It's THE most important legal tenet...

that was broken these past 8 years.

Don't like how FISA works? Fine. Propose a fix, etc.

[BlueMTexpat]

5. Your Senator is indeed a great man.

He is a man of humanist convictions, who lives by those convictions.

:hi: :toast: