Saturday, January 07, 2006
Republican RhetIraq: Senators Warner, McCain & Graham
Who: Senators John Warner, John McCain & Lindsay Graham
Source: Rosa Brooks in the LA Times
Quotes: From Opinion article titled, "McCain to Bush: 'Don't try it, pal'"
Last year, McCain introduced an amendment to the defense appropriations bill prohibiting U.S. personnel from subjecting prisoners anywhere in the world to cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment, and the Senate approved it, 90 to 9.
... Bush issued a signing statement saying he planned to construe the McCain amendment's absolute prohibition on cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment "in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the president to supervise the unitary executive branch and as commander in chief and consistent with the constitutional limitations on the judicial power, which will assist in achieving the shared objective … of protecting the American people from further terrorist attacks."
... it was good news when McCain took a break from the glaciers to coordinate with Sen. John Warner on a statement reacting to Bush's "I had my fingers crossed" maneuver: "We believe the president understands Congress' intent in passing by very large majorities legislation governing the treatment of detainees…. The Congress declined when asked by administration officials to include a presidential waiver of the restrictions included in our legislation. Our committee intends through strict oversight to monitor the administration's implementation of the new law."
And McCain and Warner were promptly joined by another key Republican, Lindsey Graham, who added: "I do not believe that any political figure in the country has the ability to set aside any … law of armed conflict that we have adopted or treaties that we have ratified. If we go down that road, it will cause great problems."
Source: Rosa Brooks in the LA Times
Quotes: From Opinion article titled, "McCain to Bush: 'Don't try it, pal'"
Last year, McCain introduced an amendment to the defense appropriations bill prohibiting U.S. personnel from subjecting prisoners anywhere in the world to cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment, and the Senate approved it, 90 to 9.
... Bush issued a signing statement saying he planned to construe the McCain amendment's absolute prohibition on cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment "in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the president to supervise the unitary executive branch and as commander in chief and consistent with the constitutional limitations on the judicial power, which will assist in achieving the shared objective … of protecting the American people from further terrorist attacks."
... it was good news when McCain took a break from the glaciers to coordinate with Sen. John Warner on a statement reacting to Bush's "I had my fingers crossed" maneuver: "We believe the president understands Congress' intent in passing by very large majorities legislation governing the treatment of detainees…. The Congress declined when asked by administration officials to include a presidential waiver of the restrictions included in our legislation. Our committee intends through strict oversight to monitor the administration's implementation of the new law."
And McCain and Warner were promptly joined by another key Republican, Lindsey Graham, who added: "I do not believe that any political figure in the country has the ability to set aside any … law of armed conflict that we have adopted or treaties that we have ratified. If we go down that road, it will cause great problems."
