Some DUers on these boards need to read this...

[Solon]

U.S. Constitution

Article VI. - Debts, Supremacy, Oaths

All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

Now, what are the Treaties you ask? Well, here's one:

http://www.hrweb.org/legal/udhr.html

Oh, and here's a pertinent excerpt:

Article 5
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

Then there is this "quaint" little treaty:

http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/92.htm

Article 3

In the case of armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties, each Party to the conflict shall be bound to apply, as a minimum, the following provisions:

1. Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.

To be honest, I don't give a flying fuck if the person who voted to violate International law and the Constitution itself have an R or D after their name. They are inhuman degenerates, not only not deserving of a vote, but actually BELONG in jail!

[Betsy Ross]

1. I'll second that. n/t

[John Gauger]

2. So torture is still illegal -

so what will the effects of this new torture law be?

[Solon]

3. Any international war crimes tribunal just increased its...

defendent pool by about 300 more individuals, give or take.

[John Gauger]

5. That made me smile.

Put those bastards behind bars. Then again, it makes me sad to think that 300 members of Congress committed such a crime.

[Solon]

11. Just an FYI, its an estimate...

a rough calculation, the actual number is:

House:

253 Aye

168 Nay

12 Not Voting

Senate:

65 Aye

34 Nay

That equals about 318(253+65) Congresspeople that are guilty of violating international law.

ON EDIT: Party breakdown:

46 Dems total voted yes, 284 Republicans voted yes.

[glitch]

8. This is the way I am looking at it. These people just took a step of no

return and I am looking forward to watching them advance to meet their destiny, in lockstep.

[TriMetFan]

4. This needs to be sent.....

to every Senator that voted against the bill today.

[bananas]

6. k&r - one more rec needed for greatest page. nt

[Joey Liberal]

7. Great post! n/t

[leesa]

9. Excellent! I am going to send it to my disgusting Representative and

to every Democrat that voted for torture.

[vanboggie]

10. K&R

Unfortunately I need to send this to my Dem Senator Stabenow. I'm angry and totally disgusted with her right now.

[NAO]

12. Don't Forget the Treaty of Tripoli - Dispel Myths of a "Christian Nation"

The Treaty of Tripoli, signed by US President John Adams and ratified by the Senate in 1796, needs to be blazoned across billboards to remind Theocratic-leaning, Religious Reich-wing Americans how the Founding Fathers really felt:

Article 11

"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

Wikepidia on the Treaty of Tripoli
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Tripoli

[Poll_Blind]

13. K&R! Excellent! n/t

PB

[nicknameless]

14. Thank you!

Very happy to K&R this.

[Vidar]

15. I don't see any Duers ignoring this, just 35 of our supposedly

democratic congress critters. May they rot in prison for it!

[GoodSpud]

16. Also in direct contravention of their oaths of office

Which as far as my meagre legal knowledge goes, appears to be an impeachable offense.

I, Loyal Citizen of the Republic, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

NOTE: As stated above The Constitution makes treaties the supreme law of the land. Therefore swearing to uphold the Constitution appears to imply upholding the treaties as well.

SECOND NOTE: The God portion of the oath has no Constitution basis. It does however appear in 5 U.S.C. 3331

T.D.P.

edit: Typo

[Bjorn Against]

17. May I add...

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

[BelgianMadCow]

18. Here's an old word : bookmarked!

I plan to inform media on this side of the pond.

Thank you for putting this in music.

[toughboy]

19. I'm really new to this and this is thick reading but important

"race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria."

What does it mean when they say birth? I think if its international rules that it means the place where you were born or maybe the ethnic group or groups of your parents.

I don't understand why anyone would ever need to torture anyone else anyway. I thought we are the smartest and best military in the world. We don't have ways to get information other than torturing people who are probably already hurting badly or totally flipped out.

It's really shameful that our President and those Senators who are supposed to keep alive the decent things about this country would support this. Does this mean they will torture people coming to this country illegal because they are not Americans? It all sounds like a very big mistake that people make when they are losing their way or they are really angry and bitter.

[Kurovski]

20. K&R.(nt)

[Totally Committed]

21. It makes me ill to think that's the Law of the land now...

I am so disgusted.

TC

[CrispyQ]

22. Thank you for this!

I'm am setting aside time this weekend to express my disappointment to my DINO senator & the info here will be helpful. I will also copy it to all dem reps who voted for this outrage.

k&r

[pat_k]

23. The proof is in one phrase. . .

"RIGHTS NOT JUDICIALLY ENFORCEABLE"

This appeared as a heading in the War Criminals Protection Act as submitted -- the heading disappeared, but not the abominiable provision that declares that:

"No person may invoke the Geneva Conventions, or any protocols thereto, in any habeas or civil action or proceeding to which the United States, or a current or former officer, employee, member of the Armed Forces, or other agent of the United States, is a party, as a source of rights in any court of the United States or its States or territories.

. . .A very interesting phrase was omitted from the final draft of Bush's War

The phrase in itself proves the intent to commit a war crime with malice aforethought.

The phrase: "RIGHTS NOT JUDICIALLY ENFORCEABLE.".

The phrase itself demonstrates a recognition that rights actually existed, and the intent to violate those rights through non-enforcement.

Yes. It is just that simple.

Case Closed on the newly inaugurated War Criminal Nation. . . http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2255629&mesg_id=2255629"><original post>

[Heewack]

24. That caveat they will use...

is... "In the case of armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties"

The detainees are not part of the "High Contracting Parties". And the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was not considered a treaty.

[Heewack]

25. Under the Geneva Conventions

Insurgents are considered unlawful combatants and not able to receive the GC protections.

[TheBaldyMan]

26. the really sad thing is: you have to spell it out in 10' high letters.

I am disgusted at the democrats that voted for that shameful legislation just as I am grateful to the lone republican who voted with his conscience. I am puzzled why torture (remember Abu Ghraib?) isn't viewed with the same revulsion as for instance paedophilia. It demeans us all.

[dflprincess]

27. I quoted this part of Article VI in my email to that weasel Normie Coleman

"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution"

Members of Congress not only take the oath verbally, but they sign their names to it. I pointed out to Normie that he had violated his oath by voting for torture and should probably be impeached.