US Senate passes controversial terror detainee bill
By Joan Warrack,WNS US Senior Correspondent
WASHINGTON - The US Senate passed controversial new rules on interrogating and prosecuting "war on terror" suspects, despite opponents who said the measure seriously curtails detainees' rights. The vote was 65 to 34.
The Senate action, a day after its approval by the House of Representatives, came after US President George W. Bush personally appealed to lawmakers on Capitol Hill for the swift passage of the legislation. In a statement, Bush welcomed the vote, saying the legislation would "provide our men and women in uniform with the necessary resources to protect our country and win the 'war on terror.'' He said,"As our troops risk their lives to fight terrorism, this bill will ensure they are prepared to defeat today's enemies and address tomorrow's threats.'' Senator Majority Leader Bill Frist earlier Thursday said Bush would likely sign the measure early next week.
The legislation had become a major battleground in the national debate, pitting measures to safeguard the country from terrorism against the need to protect civil liberties, just weeks ahead of November legislative elections. Republican Senator John McCain said the bill was a compromise between competing interests, but one which, crucially, maintained the US commitment to adhere to the Geneva Conventions governing the treatment of foreign combatants. "The United States should champion the Geneva Conventions, not look for ways to get around them lest we invite others to do the same," McCain said minutes before the vote. "America has more personnel deployed in more places than any other country in the world, and this unparalleled exposure only serves to further demonstrate the critical importance of our fulfilling the letter and the spirit of our international obligations," he said. The US House on Wednesday passed its version of the bill in a 253-168 vote.
posted by wnsworld @ 9:58 AM
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