McCain: Bush Should Veto Bill Banning Torture

YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio — Republican presidential candidate John McCain said President Bush should veto a measure that would bar the CIA from using waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods on terror suspects.

McCain voted against the bill, which would restrict the CIA to using only the 19 interrogation techniques listed in the Army field manual.

His vote was controversial because the manual prohibits waterboarding _ a simulated drowning technique that McCain also opposes _ yet McCain doesn't want the CIA bound by the manual and its prohibitions.

McCain, who was tortured as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, is well-known for his opposition to waterboarding, which puts him at odds with the Bush administration.

"I knew I would be criticized for it," McCain told reporters Wednesday in Ohio. "I think I can show my record is clear. I said there should be additional techniques allowed to other agencies of government as long as they were not" torture.

"I was on the record as saying that they could use additional techniques as long as they were not cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment," McCain said. "So the vote was in keeping with my clear record of saying that they could have additional techniques, but those techniques could not violate" international rules against torture.

McCain spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker noted that McCain believes that waterboarding is already banned by the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005, which includes an amendment he wrote barring inhumane treatment of prisoners. The act prohibited cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment for all detainees in U.S. custody, including CIA prisoners.

CIA Director Michael Hayden has said court decisions and current law, including the Detainee Treatment Act, cast doubt on whether waterboarding would be legal now. Hayden prohibited its use in CIA interrogations in 2006; it has not been used since 2003, he said. Justice Department officials have said they haven't resolved the legality of waterboarding since such legislation was passed.

The legislation bars the CIA from using waterboarding, sensory deprivation or other harsh coercive methods to break a prisoner who refuses to answer questions. Those practices were banned by the military in 2006.

President Bush has threatened to veto the legislation, which cleared the House in December and won Senate approval last week.

One supporter of the bill, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said last week that if Bush vetoes the measure, "he will be voting in favor of waterboarding."

If a president disagrees with legislation, he should veto it, McCain said. He said he disapproves that Bush sometimes signs legislation he dislikes, then issues critical "signing statements" outlining his objections.

McCain said he would never issue a critical signing statement: "If I disagree with a law that's passed, I'll veto it."

"I think if you disagree with a law, you have a constitutional right to veto that, authority to veto that," McCain said.

Comments

[wotcanisay]

IT

WAS NOT

IS NOT

WILL NOT BE

TORTURE..........



so long as it is done to someone else!

Hee hee!

[evahartselftlanguages]

TO: Senator John McCain February 21, 2008 Continued

Again as I said above this is nothing new and done in past for people to torture someone to save thousands of lives and thousands of children's lives and save their nation. As I mentioned above if your being attacked by a crazy at home,store,etc., you would use whatever you had to save and defend your life! Of course there's a limit how far one goes with torture for one does not need to do things that are unnecessary. Also do you think the person will lie if he knows he will be found out and punished because he lied. Thus it is not always true a person will lie under humane torture to save lives.


Furthermore, these Bill of Rights signed just before King William and Queen Mary were corononated gave people back their Human Rights. It forced cruel King John to give up his Rights and forced him to give up and relinquish and limit his Powers.

These Bill of Rights were brought over here to America by the colonists for precious Freedom and for Human Rights. We,Americans, abide by these Bill of Rights today. Yes, other nations as Egypt,Greece,Italy contributed to Democracy, but it is England that gave us our real Freedom of Human Rights so says the book. Vanza Devereaux The Government of a Free Nation,'63 Homer Ferris Acker co-author

Eva Hart Christian In Army 62-70 670 Eddy St. Sfc 94109 Rec job Sec of Def 64

[evahartselftlanguages]

TO: Senator John McCain February 21, 2008


Therefore, unless you cover more than one topic than to defend our enemey all the time and not do anything for Americans' Rights, I am not going to believe you.

We have Job Rights which you ignored and of course Americans do things that seem to Mock the Values they hold as putting homeless in jails because they had no home, or minimum wage so low for 10 years one cannot even survive and live on it nor pay their rent. Elliot Liebow,Jewish Anthropologist,'93 Book. Mr. Liebow's book confirms my '97 lawsuit of scarce food,jobs resources in U.S. which all Courts and my Reps ignored.


Mr. Elliot Liebow,Jewish Anthropologist, in '93 book also states,"Closing down shelters in Wash DC and in cities around the country is criminal,self-defeating, and dumb." or sticking your nose on issues only when it comes to money and budget cuts as Welfare programs. I have never heard or seen you speak to homeless or poor or be at a Welfare Department.


Romans 12, "Don't be haughty, but associate with the poor."

Wisdom Ch6," The Safety of the World lies in many counselors."

Proverbs 29:14,"A King Keeps His Throne Forever If He Cares for the Rights of the Poor."

Eva Hart Christian In Army 62-70 670 Eddy St. Sfc 94109 Rec job Sec of Defense 64

[evahartselftlanguages]

TO: Senator John McCain February 21, 2008

The following is sad,but true:


They had a festive bash

Supporting Sfc Mayor Gavin Newsom's Care not Cash

I sent John McCain a letter to make things for me better

Job fax money needed he never heeded.


You,Senator John McCain, speak out against torture as one should, but from you it is not real. I sent you a letter about needing money to go job seeking and scarce food,jobs in Americ which you cruelly ignored.

I mentioned that poor have to sleep with head on table from a hard chair. I thought you'd understand, but you did not. Do you not understand this is torture? Do you not understand that when homeless can't sleep anywheres this is torture? Do you not understand having no home is torture. Why do you not speak out about these kinds of tortures and violations of American Rights. This is what you went War for wasn't it, yet nothing from you on the subject. Maybe you would if you were President of the poor or job seeker. Probably not. We all have Job Rights and this is a Government of all Americans including homeless.

Finally, the Habeas Corpus Act was put into Law in 1679 by King Charles II of England. His father Charles I by military court was ordered beheaded in England. The Habeas Corpus Act means a person cannot be put into jail for any length of time without a trial. He must be brought before a Judge who will decide if he gets a trial or can be released.

Eva Hart Christian Army 62-70 670 Eddy St. Sfc 94109 Rec job Sec of Def 64

[evahartselftlanguages]

TO: Senator John McCain February 21, 2008 Continued

Moreover,King Charles I, Father of King Charles II, violated Rights of the people and thus and wanted to rule England as a dictator. He forced fines from people and put them in jail if they did not pay. Finally as I said in above post the military court ordered him beheaded. Then England was ruled by Oliver Cromwell and generals. This did not work either this Commonwealth and they recalled King Charles I's son King Charles II who put in Habeas Corupus Act in 1679.

About 700 years ago even King John was known as a cruel King and one of the most unpopular for he forced hardships on the common folk and oppressed the clergy.

Our Bill of Rights came from England for on June 15, 1215 the barons and biships forced King John to put his Royal Seal on the Great Charter or known also as Magna Carta. They forced King John to give up his Rights. They limited his powers as King. They forced him to obey the Laws of England and gave themselves Human Rights later to be know as Bill of Rights signed by King William and Queen Mary of England just before their coronation.

Finally this waterboarding and other kinds of torture acts were in past used to get information to save thousands of lives. If you were to defend your own life at home,elsewhere you'd use something to defend your life for sure.

Eva Hart Christian Army 62-70 670 Eddy St. Sfc 94109 Rec job Sec of Def 64

[evahartselftlanguages]

TO: Senator John McCain February 21, 2008

























Over 700 years King John was a cruel despot and most unpopular monarch ever. King John forced hardships on the common folk and oppressed the clergy. The barons and bishops of England did not like King John of England. Archbishop Stephen Langley of Canterbury and the barons and bishops got together and decided to make and force cruel King John to obey the Laws of England. Thus on June 15, 1215 at Runnymede,England they forced King John to use his Royal Seal on the Magna Carta or Great Charter to give up his Rights and to limit King John's Powers as King.

Finally because King James,Duke of York,(It was he who gave New York its name) was also not liked by Parliament and the people for oppression they decided to ask his daughter Mary of Holland and her husband William to be King and Queen of England. They agreed 1689 to Petition of Rights for the people. Thus right before Coronation they still had to sign a paper giving the people their Human Rights.
This Bill of Rights has come down to us today from England and the colonists brought their fight for Freedom of Human Rights here to America. We,Americans, uphold the Bill of Rights from the English today in our own first Ten Amendments to the Constitution. This Bill of Rights put in the U.S. Constitution quieted the objections people had of the newly formed America and its U.S. Constitution. President James Madison,Father of the Constitution, was largely responsible for its existence now in Constitution as he promised he would fight for peoples' Rights and kept his promise by putting in the Bill of Rights.

Eva Hart Christian In Army 62-70 670 Eddy St. Sfc 94109 Rec job Sec of Def 64

[evahartselftlanguages]

TO: Senator John McCain February 21, 2008

Please excuse the big space on above post between To address and body of my blog in my talking of Barons and Bishops and Stephen Langley who did not like the monarchical King John who oppressed everyone. I don't know what happened as all I had done was delete a sentence and when I pushed reply button the machine did this on me. The big space is not meant to be.

Eva Hart Christian Army 62-70 670 Eddy St. Sfc 94109 Rec job Sec of Def 64

[glesslib]

If I am going to be disappointed in McCain, it will be over this issue, not something in his private life. How could someone who has been through the type of torture McCain endured ever change his stand and now be in favor of our country conducting itself in such a way?

Either his ambition overwhelms his good sense, or he's getting senile. Either way, this issue alone says he shouldn't be president.

[Independent voter]

Flip - flop - flip - flop

McCain has made a career out of his POW experience. While I can not imagine the horror of his time in captivity it does not render him qualified for POTUS.

[research]

rape, sodomy, shock, drugs, burns, dogs, hoods, ... torture...

... American.

[Sandmann]

As a former Marine who has served 6 years of active duty...The thing that always made me nervous about this is that the "techniques" that we use for extracting information: Waterboarding, Mind Games, Starvation, whatever we don't know about, etc., are now fair game to be used on our citizens (military or civilian) without us being able to say a damn thing in our defense. No longer can we point at our "no torture" policies and say for better or worse that we will not stoop to that level of behavior regardless of the methods used against us.

I understand that some of you are going to scream "An eye for an eye". Just remember that thought when it is our people in enemy hands, and we have no moral ground on which to stand, much less the ablility to build a RIGHTEOUS rage...That will be truly frustrating to me.

I know that these tactics are already used against us, and will continue to be regardless of our policies, but as an earlier poster TheIndependenceParty commented: "The laws and rules and treaties we adhere to as a People are our demonstration of what we believe! They have NOTHING to do with the nature of our enemy, but rather the nature of ourselves."
That is spot on.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Well the true nature of Bush is one of stupidity, corruption, ignorance, and dispensing human lives merely to enrich himself, his cronies and his corporate backers. If he can stoop that low, why let a little thing like torture stop him from dragging down the rest of America, our reputation and self respect to his amoral depths.

[Gary47]

Who says McCain got tortured? I mean really, where's the evidence? Someone should investigate.

[RMHK]

Who cares? He talks out of both sides of his mouth. He can't be trusted. We don't need more of the same crap we have had for the last 7 yeard.

[Driver125]

It's perfectly clear, my friends....... When they do it to me, it's torture. When they do it to someone else, well, then it's something else.

[LeftRight]

There is actually a lot of evidence that he was tortured. And for the last 30+ years he has been against torture. Now he's for it. Even if he hadn't been tortured he should be completely against it, but he's now lost all credibility with me, and those like me.

[Brainspore]

It has been thoroughly investigated, decades ago. There is no reason to doubt McCain's accounts of being tortured as a POW. The issue is how he could now sell what's left of his soul for the benefit of his party by flip-flopping on the one moral stand we never expected him to compromise.

[fact finder]

Brainspore; Because power is the most addictive drug in the Universe. 1776

[SmootyBooty]

Well, he IS running for Panderer in Chief.

[guntotinganglion]

When Hayden, or any of the rest of these critters say they don't use waterboarding anymore, is there actually a reason to believe they're telling the truth? The answer is no. They lie. They are liars. They never stop lying. They don't know how to not lie. If Bushemada ever told the truth about anything, his tiny little head would pop from the sheer irony. The only thing he could ever say that might not be a lie, is that he is a liar!

So, when these cretins say anything, it's a lie. If they say they're not torturing, they are torturing...take it to the bank. I believe there is a torture bank, in the Cayman Islands...probably where all of Bushemada's billions have gone.

[SmootyBooty]

And they lie openly, without hesitation. While they ADMIT they USED to do it.

[guntotinganglion]

They own up only when they're caught in their deceit. The torture tapes, which certainly are out there somewhere, were the driver for this particular admission. They knew they had to cut this one off at the pass, so to speak. And they did, when Hayden ponied up and admitted to torture. When will the next piece of evidence force their bloodstained hands? Who knows...hopefully tomorrow.

[guntotinganglion]

Man, if McCain manages to steal the election, he'll definitely add new meaning to the term Torture President.

[iPolitics]

McCain: "I've seen Wag the Dog and I intend to use the strategy as President."

[realitytrumpsbull]

Once a bondage-nazi, always a bondage-nazi...I wouldn't vote for McCain with YOUR ballot.

[BWonka]

2 stupid rethuglicans. No wonder the elephant died!

[bobbypolhem]

I am 67 years of Age now. I have watched as the I WANT IT NOW CROWD allowed people like Bush and Right Wing demigogues run our country into hell. I am watching now as these same people bewildered and terrified suddenly come up for air and wonder why they are drowning. I lived in a world that had Love Flowers wonderful music good business and fresh water lakes. America is now the cesspool of the Universe heading straight down the same road as India and far east slums. Good luck future children of USA Your gonna need all the help you can get

[guntotinganglion]

Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a disaster to wake people up. When the economy goes, and the credit cards no longer work, there will be a stiff dose of reality to deal with. Three stalwart Republicans in a row (Harding, Coolidge and Hoover) gave this country the Great Depression, and now we have a Republican who's at least three times worse than the three of them put together, who thinks the war has no effect, other than good, on the economy! We're already off the cliff, and the ground is coming up fast, so fasten your seatbelts, it's gonna be a bumpy landing!

And sir, like you, I am ashamed of my country as well. My father's memory, having been an honorable soldier in World War 2, has been sullied by these bloodthirsty creatures. I'm about a decade behind you, so I do remember the glimmers of hope that came in my teenage years, that were then shat upon by the likes of Nixon, Ford, Reagan (the man who almost singlehandedly killed thousands of lakes in eastern Canada with his pollution deregulation), and the Bush crime syndicate. They've all worked overtime to turn this country into some kind of twisted vision of Dante's Inferno...and the road back is harrowing at best, and impossible at worst.

You know, not to make light of PTSD, but I truly feel that I am suffering from something akin to that, after 7 plus years of this madness. BTSD? Bush Traumatic Stress Disorder? How many out there are suffering from this debilitating disorder?

Do you recall the movie Key Largo, and the character Johnny Rocco (aka Edward G. Robinson)? When Humphrey Bogart asks him what he wants, all he says is MORE, yahhh...I want more! This is all the Republicans want, more...and like the virus they are, they'll take it till there's nothing left, and the whole thing falls down around their heads, and ours. Virus's are inevitably self-destructive, when they destroy the host, they die as well.

The Republicans are a virus, plain and simple.