posted by Damozel | Whatever the media may want you to believe about Congressional Democrats, no one can say that they "bowed to Bush's will" on the intelligence bill that passed in the House today (Intelligence Authorization Conference Report.). By a vote of 299-199 the House passed a bill which (1) "authorizes the largest amount for intelligence programs ever authorized" (The Gavel); and (2) includes an amendment that would severely restrict intelligence agencies (including their use of tactics such as waterboarding). (Yahoo) Only five Republicans supported the measure.(Sam Stein ; roll call is here).
The Administration has sent a lengthy letter threatening a veto and highlighting eleven areas of disagreement.(Yahoo)
Most of the bill is classified, but parts are not.(Yahoo) It "blocks spending 70 percent of the intelligence budget until the House and Senate intelligence committees are briefed on Israel's Sept. 6 air strike on an alleged nuclear site in Syria."(Yahoo) It creates an internal watchdog to oversee inteligence agencies and requires Senate approval of the heads of the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Security Agency. (Yahoo) It would prohibit the CIA from using waterboarding, mock executions and other harsh interrogation methods.(Yahoo) The measure confines them to “to the interrogation tactics permitted by the Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations. Rep. Jerrold Nadler’s (D-NY) remarked, “[This] means no more torture, no more waterboarding, no more clever wordplay, no more evasive answers, no more dishonesty.”" (Think Progress)
One provision requires intelligence agencies to report to the committees "on whether intelligence agency employees are complying with protections for detainees from cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment. Another requires a report on the use of private contractors in intelligence work." (Yahoo) It "would, among other things, allow for new intelligence programs, fund global anti-terrorism activities, and even provide money to research climate change."(Sam Stein)
The bill is now on its way to the Senate. (Yahoo) It's clearly legislation that we need, but does anyone really expect it to pass in the Senate? Even if it does, the Administration has those eleven areas of disagreements. But at least this is right out in the open:
The administration particularly opposes restricting the CIA to interrogation methods approved by the military in 2006. That document prohibits forcing detainees to be naked, perform sexual acts, or pose in a sexual manner; placing hoods or sacks over detainees' heads or duct tape over their eyes; beating, shocking, or burning detainees; threatening them with military dogs; exposing them to extreme heat or cold; conducting mock executions; depriving them of food, water, or medical care; and waterboarding. (Yahoo; emphasis added
I wish someone would make the Bush Administration say which ones of these they'd like to keep back for the CIA to use. If we---through our representatives---are going to continue to leave open the possibility of torture, at least let's know specifically what that means. (I've already said---having drawn support from a posting by Marty Lederman--- why I don't buy the "top secret/highly classified" dodge for weaseling out of discussion). We ought to insist on knowing or at least on having all our representatives fully informed. This is a democracy; we're meant to be accountable for the actions of our government.
Dan Froomkin is blunt about the implications: "Bush demands freedom to torture"(via Memeorandum). "President Bush's repeated insistence that "we don't torture" appeared even more transparently bogus yesterday as the White House threatened to veto a House bill that would explicitly ban a variety of abhorrent practices."
Perhaps some Senate Republicans will be swayed by the letter signed yesterday by thirty retired generals and admirals, urging Democrats to hang tough on legislation banning waterboarding and requiring them to comply with strict limitations on detainee treatment. (The Carpetbagger Report)
The letter - which is addressed to Senate and House intelligence chairmen John Rockefeller and Silvestre Reyes - urges the passage of Section 327 of the Conference Report on the Intelligence Authorization Act....
"We believe it is vital to the safety of our men and women in uniform that the United States not sanction the use of interrogation methods it would find unacceptable if inflicted by the enemy against captured Americans," the military officials write. "That principle, embedded in the Army Field Manual, has guided generations of American military personnel in combat. The current situation, in which the military operates under one set of interrogation rules that are public and the CIA operates under a separate, secret set of rules, is unwise and impractical." (Sam Stein; emphasis added)
Among others who signed the bill was Major General Tony Taguba, who investigated Abu Ghraib. (Huff Post) Or maybe it won't make a lick of difference.
From Kyle E. Moore at Comments from Left Field:
I’m getting rather jaded every time the Democratically controlled congress gets set to do something good....The only thing that I think might sicken me more than the fact that the current administration has become so brazen in endorsing torture by any other name is that I have little doubt that tomorrow there will still be a slew of neoconservatives that are unconvinced that those techiniques listed above are torture, are not justified at any time, and should never be used. (House Votes To Ban Waterboarding, Bush Promises Veto)
My colleague, D Cupples, would want me to remind Kyle E. Moore and others that---contrary to the common cant---Congress ain't "Democratically controlled"; only the House is. And let's give them credit here for doing all that we want them to do.
The Gavel has gathered up some of the videotapes of those who spoke in favor of the bill. (House Debates Intelligence Authorization Conference Report Extending Army Field Manual).
Memeorandum has discussion here. See the following: The Daily Dish, West Virginia Blue, Washington Wire, Political Machine and normblog
*BN-Politics used the photograph(s) in this post under a Creative Commons license that allows commercial use and sharing. Before copying the photo(s), follow the link to the owner's page and consult the licensing terms. Photo owners do NOT necessarily endorse views expressed in this post.
RELATED BN-POLITICS POSTINGS
Odd Reporting on House Budget Bill
More on the John Kiriakou Interview and "Enhanced Interrogation"
CIA Lawyers Authorized Destruction of Tapes?: The Plot Thickens (Updated)
"Necessary Torture": The Interview of John Kiriakou (Updated)
Investigations Launched re: CIA's Destruction of Torture Tapes
Captain Ed: "An Executive Branch that Can Do Whatever It Pleases"
Bush: No Recollection of Being Made Aware of Any Tapes (Updated)
CIA Advised Not to Destroy the Tapes (Updated).
CIA Destroyed Evidence of Torture Sessions
General Says Rumsfeld Misled Congress re: Abu Ghraib
ALSO:
Another Expert Explains Waterboarding to Congress (Updated)
Military Interrogator: Torture isn't Operationally Effective
Waterboarding: Learn What It's Like & Why It's Good for You in Two Easy Lessons
US Military & Intelligence Officials Weigh in on Torture Issue (Deaf Ears Dept)
Bush Administration Blocked Critic Who Experienced Waterboarding
Romney's Pick for National Security Adviser Would Torture 'in a Heartbeat.'
I say 'Torture'; You Say 'Harsh Interrogation Techniques'.... (Updated)
House Votes to Ban Harsh CIA Methods (HuffPost)
House votes to ban harsh CIA methods (Yahoo)
Military Leaders: Ignore Bush Veto Threat, Ban Waterboarding (Sam Stein, Huff Post)
Comments