Wow! Cafferty's talking war crimes on the Bush Administration!

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

He was speaking about how Bushco wants his Repug Congress to pass a retroactive law to exempt him and his from war crimes!

(on edit)

The Question is: 7 p.m.: Should Congress pass a law that would prevent members of the Bush administration from being prosecuted for war crimes?

There's a link below to send Jack an answer! Let's let him know we appreciate his candor!

[librechik]

1. go to CNN and vote on his question

http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5t.html?65

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

6. Thanks! I included the question in the OP

[CarlVK]

8. Done

[sendero]

2. I was under the distinct ompression..

... that it is unconstitutional to pass a retroactive law. That would certainly include making a prior act that was legal into something illegal, so it would stand to reason that a law making a prior act legal would be equally unconsitutional.

[laundry_queen]

5. Sounds just like the * administration

doesn't it?
Break the law, passing a law, that makes you immune from breaking the law in the first place. :silly: :crazy:

[BuyingThyme]

7. I used to think that too, but

changes in laws have retroactively saved many people form the death penalty during my lifetime.

That said, the fact that the Bushes are changing laws to save their own asses makes this a whole different thing.

[tbyg52]

19. Actual changes in the *law*?

Or new evidence coming to light, new application of existing law, that kind of thing? Could you give some examples?

[Cobalt-60]

16. ..no ex post facto laws

[IChing]

3. They are not bad showers they are just

alternative interrogation and confessional methods

[madokie]

4. its about time they all did

KO used the I word last night to standing applause, me standing applauding

[babylonsister]

9. Yep. I dug this up:

http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1185.shtml

George W. Bush's speech on September 6 amounted to a public confession to criminal violations of the 1996 War Crimes Act. He implicitly admitted authorizing disappearances, extrajudicial imprisonment, torture, transporting prisoners between countries and denying the International Committee of the Red Cross access to prisoners.

These are all serious violations of the Geneva Conventions. The War Crimes Act makes grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions and all violations of Common Article 3 punishable by fines, imprisonment or, if death results to the victim, the death penalty.

At the same time, Bush asked Congress to amend the War Crimes Act in order to retroactively protect him and other U.S. officials from prosecution for these crimes, and from civil lawsuits arising from them. He justified this on the basis that "our military and intelligence personnel involved in capturing and questioning terrorists could now be at risk of prosecution under the War Crimes Act . . . ," and insisted that “passing this legislation ought to be the top priority” for Congress between now and the election in November.

His profession of concern for military and intelligence personnel was utterly misleading. Military personnel charged with war crimes have always been, and continue to be, prosecuted under the Universal Code of Military Justice rather than the War Crimes Act; and the likelihood of CIA interrogators being identified and prosecuted under the act is remote -- they are protected by the secrecy that surrounds all CIA operations.

more...

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

11. Great find! Why the hell isn't this front page news???

[babylonsister]

12. Make it happen, Tom. Here's a thread I started:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2824987&mesg_id=2824987

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

17. Spot on, Sister. Good thread.

[chat_noir]

10. CNN Quick Vote still going on

http://www.cnn.com/

In his 9/11 anniversary address to the nation, President Bush:

Took pains to be non-partisan 30% 25497 votes

Tried to use day of mourning for political gain 70% 59064 votes

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

13. Hmmmm.... Liiks like we're not alone in our opinions of DimSon.

[me b zola]

14. What was his tone when he asked the question?

Did he give a short rant or offer his feelings on the matter?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

15. He was in typical "on fire" Jack mode.

It was fun to see.

[AntiFascist]

18. This is great...

all we need is for more tv journalists to begin using the I word.