Committee Passes Measure Banning Waterboarding

[babylonsister]

Feinstein? So she was 'for' it before she was 'against' it? :crazy:

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004843.php

Committee Passes Measure Banning Waterboarding
By Paul Kiel - December 6, 2007, 5:54PM

Presidential veto, here we come.

The intelligence bill passed today includes, as anticipated, a measure (sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Russ Feingold (D-WI)) that would effectively ban waterboarding. That's because it would limit CIA interrogators to using techniques approved by the Army Field Manual.

If President Bush signs the bill, says Sen. Feinstein in a statement, "all U.S. government interrogations – military and civilian – would be conducted under the same rules and regulations, and eight specific techniques, including waterboarding, would be prohibited."

But the White House has said that he will veto it. So then it becomes a question of whether Congress has the votes to override it.

Here's the measure's language:

“No individual in the custody or under the effective control of an element of the intelligence community or instrumentality thereof, regardless of nationality or physical location, shall be subject to any treatment or technique of interrogation not authorized by the United States Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations.”

[Inuca]

1. Do you know...

what intelligence bill this refers to?

[babylonsister]

2. HR 2082 - - ->

http://www.aclu.org/safefree/torture/33027prs20071206.html

ACLU Cheers House and Senate Intel Bill Conferees for Including Provision Prohibiting Torture and Abuse (12/6/2007)

Urges full House and Senate to pass this important legislation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: [e-mail]

Washington, DC – The ACLU was encouraged today that House and Senate conferees included a provision to the 2008 intelligence authorization bill (HR 2082) which would apply the Army Field Manual on Intelligence Interrogations government-wide. The provision, added to the conference report by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), would require all government agencies, including the CIA, to abide by the Army Field Manual – which prohibits torture and abuse tactics against persons held in U.S. custody.

The Army Field Manual prohibits specific acts of torture and abuse, including waterboarding, and also authorizes an array of specific interrogation tactics. The Feinstein amendment would restrict all government agencies to the interrogation tactics authorized by the manual. The legislation now moves to both the House and Senate for final consideration.

The following can be attributed to Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office:

“The House and Senate conferees should be commended for coming to agreement on this important legislation. Congress has already prohibited our armed forces from using torture and abuse, but this legislation would finally extend the time-tested Army Field Manual to the agency most culpable for employing these tactics – the CIA. The United States has been a leader in the fight against torture worldwide. For our government to engage in these horrific practices violates the American values most of us hold in our hearts.

“The ACLU calls on the full House and Senate to pass this legislation and send it to President Bush. Congress can make it clear that the American people will no longer stand for the use of torture and abuse.”

# # #

[Inuca]

3. Thanks!

That was fast :-).

[babylonsister]

4. Any time!

:hi:

[Telly Savalas]

5. Don't you think they're kinda rushing into this?

Shouldn't they deliberate on it for a few more months and then maybe pass some sort of non-binding resolution or something? They've only been in session for 11 months.

[Greyskye]

6. Trying to save her seat?

I'm certainly hoping that DiFi has a Democratic challenger next election cycle.

[rockybelt]

7. What else is in this bill?

I am suspiscious when I see the name Feinstein supporting a bill. Hagel, I don't know. Whitehouse has never sponsored a bill that has made it to a vote. Feingold is a fine man that votes his conscience. Chuck Hagel has a conscience.

I just do not trust Feinstein to do the right thing.

What else is in the bill?

[Inuca]

8. It is not "their" bill

They "own" only the anti-torture measure (amendment?), as part of a much larger bill (see above).

[Richard Steele]

9. I don't think this is a good thing.

Explicitly banning it now implies that it WASN'T already illegal.
This will actually cloud the issue, and provide potential legal
cover for CIA torturers.


(edditid fer spellin)