House Democrats in Disarray Over Anti-Torture Provision (More Caving From Weak Dems)

[tekisui]

Source: The Raw Story

Democratic leadership in the House was in disarray last night after having to withdraw the 2010 Intelligence Authorization Act, moments before it was to have been voted upon, as the result of a controversial anti-torture provision

The amendment was added in the House Rules Committee late on Wednesday and had not previously been vetted in committee. It would have criminalized the most extreme forms of "enhanced interrogation" and provided stiff sentences for intelligence officers or medical professions who engaged in them.

Republican opposition caused the Democrats to attempt to remove the provision from the bill on Thursday by a unanimous consent agreement. When the Republicans refused to go along, the Democratic leadership was forced to pull the bill entirely.

In the wake of the debacle, there was confusion as to how the provision had gotten into the bill, and Democratic leaders appeared to be attempting to distance themselves from it.

The American Prospect had reported earlier that the amendment was proposed by House Intelligence Committee Chair Sylvestre Reyes (D-TX). After the withdrawal of the bill, however, Politico cited Democratic sources as saying that "House Rules Chairwoman Louise Slaughter attached the provision to the bill Wednesday over the objections of other House leaders." One source told RollCall (reg. req.), "No one wanted it in there," and Rep. Jane Harmon (D-CA) insisted, "It's a mystery how that language got in there."

more: http://rawstory.com/2010/02/house-democrats-disarray-antitorture-provision/

[Fumesucker]

1. The Democratic party caves so much it should change its name to the Spelunking party.. n/t

[ananda]

5. lol

Splunkin dude.

[atreides1]

2. Cowards the lot of them

So now the official policy of the Obama administration is that torture is bad, but only if someone else does it.

How long before it's okay to conduct medical experiments on enemy combatants?

[tekisui]

4. I think the position is "torture is bad, but not bad enough

to seek justice". But to sweep it under the rug. Disgusting.

[Eric J in MN]

3. It's sad that that amendment is controversial. NT

NT

[SpiralHawk]

6. "Free moral clue for Dems & Republicons: Torture is EVIL." - JC

"There's nothing to debate. Approve torture and you are approving evil. Got it? - JC

[Individualist]

7. You call it caving; I call it enabling.

[vadawg]

8. i call it survival politics...

[tekisui]

9. Pathetic excuse to deny justice.

[vadawg]

10. they see the no win situation of putting a CIA operative on trial for getting info on future attacks

do you really think this would play well outside and with the voting public...

[Bluebear]

11. So you think the voting public is pro-torture, do you?

[vadawg]

12. in a word yup, if they think it stops an attack, and if you put a CIA operative on trial

the american public would in a large percentage be on their side, especially if he said he was following the legal advice of the commander in chief.

[Bluebear]

13. They sure didn't care much when a CIA operative was outed by Bush & Cheney

[vadawg]

16. big difference and i think you know it, putting an operative on trial is a big public in your face

theres not a politician in the country who would survive the fallout if the operative went on trial for doing what would be perceived as trying to gain intell in order to save US citizens, regardless or not if you believe it works or not...

[tekisui]

14. It would play well if they did it.

Don't tell me you believe the ass-smoke that torturing actually prevented attacks.

[vadawg]

15. dosent matter if you believe it stopped attacks or not, its how it would look

the operative would just have to state that he was getting intelligence and his lawyer would say imagine if my client had any of the 911 guys we could have stopped that attack and america will agree with him... if you think otherwise then you tell me why the Dem leaders are scared shitless of going after the operatives and lawyers..

[Flaneur]

17. Yeah, well, the German public was pro-Nazi. Doesn't mean they were right.

Torture undermines our fundamental values. No excuses, anc certainly not political expediency.

[Individualist]

18. So, you value how it plays above upholding justice.

Damn the DLC!

[vadawg]

19. nope just telling you the reality of it, the world just works that way

[Individualist]

20. What a load of horse hockey!

"The world just works that way" because you and DLC say so.

:rofl:

[Bluebear]

21. DLC may be generous here.

[DainBramaged]

27. Maybe they should grow (insert pc nazi term).

[spanone]

22. the democratic party is doing everything possible to push me out.

[tekisui]

23. Me too.

They aren't giving me any reasons to work for them.

[Tim01]

24. I'm all in favor of killing the badguys.

But torture? Doesn't that make US the badguys?

[vadawg]

26. the issue is what different people define as torture

i think everyone can say that pulling out fingernails is torture, but some people would class sleep deprivation as not being torture whilst others would, same with stress positions and using insects. Therein lies the problem you put a CIA guy on trial for not letting a suspected terrorist sleep for two or three days and its not going to go over well with the voting public.. and it will cost any politician attached votes..

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

25. Politics-as-usual, and fear, supercede justice where the CIA is concerned.

And, the usual suspects cave.

[spanone]

28. yep, god forbid we punish the torturers....god help us