[Changleen]

From the Washington Post

White House officials are apparently afraid that at some point in the future (presumably, when Democrats are in charge of the Justice Department) they could be prosecuted for war crimes. So they're trying to change the law.

R. Jeffrey Smith writes in The Washington Post: "The Bush administration has drafted amendments to a war crimes law that would eliminate the risk of prosecution for political appointees, CIA officers and former military personnel for humiliating or degrading war prisoners, according to U.S. officials and a copy of the amendments. . . .

" 'People have gotten worried, thinking that it's quite likely they might be under a microscope,' said a U.S. official. Foreigners are using accusations of unlawful U.S. behavior as a way to rein in American power, the official said, and the amendments are partly meant to fend this off."

Smith explains: "The amendments would narrow the reach of the War Crimes Act, which now states in general terms that Americans can be prosecuted in federal criminal courts for violations of 'Common Article 3' of the Geneva Conventions, which the United States ratified in 1949. . . .

"Common Article 3 is considered the universal minimum standard of treatment for civilian detainees in wartime. It requires that they be treated humanely and bars 'violence to life and person,' including murder, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture. It further prohibits 'outrages upon personal dignity' such as 'humiliating and degrading treatment.' And it prohibits sentencing or execution by courts that fail to provide 'all the judicial guarantees . . . recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.' . . .

"Former Justice Department lawyer John C. Yoo . . . said that U.S. soldiers and agents should 'not be beholden to the definition of vague words by international or foreign courts, who often pursue nakedly political agendas at odds with the United States.' . . .

"But [retired Army Lt. Col. Geoffrey S.] Corn, the Army's former legal expert, said that Common Article 3 was, according to its written history, 'left deliberately vague because efforts to define it would invariably lead to wrongdoers identifying 'exceptions,' and because the meaning was plain -- treat people like humans and not animals or objects.'

What a bunch of pvssies. They know what they've done is wrong, so now they try and gut the legislation that could be used to hold them accountable. It's actions like this that should make most people realise the true nature of their government.

 

[narlus]

can't bush just scribble something on a napkin as a signing statement?

 

[Changleen]

can't bush just scribble something on a napkin as a signing statement?

In this case he apparantly doesn't think that's going to be enough. He needs a whole new law to protect himself and his cronies.

 

[Tenchiro]

From the Washington Post

What a bunch of pvssies. They know what they've done is wrong, so now they try and gut the legislation that could be used to hold them accountable. It's actions like this that should make most people realise the true nature of their government.

Thats a politician for you.

 

[rockwool]

Thats a politician for you.

True!

If that becomes law, then the chain of command goes and there will be no way to hold anybody responsible, which would put USA on a par with organizations like HIzbollah..

 

[Silver]

True!

If that becomes law, then the chain of command goes and there will be no way to hold anybody responsible, which would put USA on a par with organizations like HIzbollah..

Comparing the GOP and Hizbollah is a really low blow.

After all, Hizbollah runs a better social services program than the GOP does...

 

[rockwool]

Comparing the GOP and Hizbollah is a really low blow.

After all, Hizbollah runs a better social services program than the GOP does...

LOOOL! Seriously though, about my reasoning, it was something ALEXIS_DH said in one of them Israel/Palestine/Hizbollah threads.

 

[reflux]

True!

If that becomes law, then the chain of command goes and there will be no way to hold anybody responsible, which would put USA on a par with organizations like HIzbollah..

Co'mon man, it's all about freedom...freedom for people to do whatever the hell they want to.

 

[rockwool]

Co'mon man, it's all about freedom...freedom for people to do whatever the hell they want to.

I'm with you all the way there. Just wish the neo cons would put some green in my pocket too