Comments on: McCain on Prisoner Treatment Guidelines

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 19:47:00 +0000

ToddB, I think that’s one of the good things about such an amendment is that it gives the servicemen and women guidelines that they can follow. They shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not what they’re doing is officially sanctioned by the US or if they’ll be the fall guy if one of their officers all of a sudden needs to try to cover their own butt.

Plus, it allows transparency in the debate of what should be allowed in terms of prisoner treatment rather than just requiring us to trust that executive power will not extend beyond what the US public considers acceptable.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 19:29:08 +0000

FOB:

Your friend GWB was evidently a supporter of McCain's campaign finance rules since he was the one that signed it into law. GWB had much more power to stop those campaign finance rules from becoming law than McCain or Feingold ever did.
While you seem to believe that Vietnam was a kinder, gentler war, as I'm sure photos and first-hand accounts bear witness: How is it that this makes you more qualified to know about prisoner treatment than an ex-POW, regardless of what war they fought in?
If you are familiar with how a veto works in the US, a two-thirds majority of Congress is necessary to override one. The amendment passed with 90 votes, well beyond the 67 votes necessary to override a presidential veto.
"If you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche Think about how this applies to resorting to torture because you are fighting evil people.

By: FOB-FriendofBush

FOB-FriendofBush — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 02:47:27 +0000

Will McCain screw up the interrogation process the same way he screwed up the “Soft Campaign Money” process with Feingold? I think he could. The US should use ALL methods available to obtain information from islamofacists including killing their family members. McCain fought in a different kind of war, and his enemies were not seeking to blow themselves and the world up with atomic weapons or destroy humanity with bioweapons. Besides, my friend GWB has threatened a veto. I don’t think McClain could overide it.

By: ToddB

ToddB — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 21:34:23 +0000

Its tough to argue with a John McCain on this issue. I definately agree that Congress needs to solidly define prisoner treatment. I’m still uncertain of how they’ve really defined it as all I’ve heard is “stick to the field manual”.

However, I’m hesitant to take all methods of information extraction through discomfort off the board. I wonder if things like water boarding, sleep deprevation, etc are not worthwhile tactics, and would be interested to see data on the veracity of the information gained through use of those techniques. I have a feeling that information may be more useful than McCain makes it seem, but I could be wrong. In a time pressured situation in which America and its men, women, and children may come under great harm I think there has to be some additional forms of persuation available to our servicemen. The show 24 comes to mind…