The Senate Buckles To Bush Too

Well, the Dems tried. Barack Obama shined again as one of the voices of the opposition but the Senate passed the bill.

Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, praised the bill. "I am pleased that this legislation before the Senate does not amend, redefine, or modify the Geneva Conventions in any way. The Conventions are preserved intact," he said.

But many opposition Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, disagree, saying the bill falls far short of fair judicial standards and allows for abusive interrogation techniques. "I personally believe this legislation is unconstitutional. It will certainly be struck down by the Supreme Court in the years ahead, and when that happens, we will be back here debating how to bring terrorists to justice," he said.

Human rights groups agree. They note the bill does not allow suspects the right to challenge the legality of their detention in U.S. courts.

A slim majority of Senators rejected an amendment that would have offered detainees that right, arguing that terror suspects are not entitled to the same rights as U.S. soldiers and citizens, and saying such court challenges could hinder detainees' military trials.

Senators also voted down several other amendments that would have, among other things, clarified interrogation tactics and strengthened congressional oversight of military commissions.

Among the other provisions, the overall bill allows for coerced testimony in limited circumstances - if a judge finds it reliable and the statement was taken before a 2005 ban on cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. It also allows for hearsay evidence, again if a judge finds it reliable.

The bill allows defendants limited access to classified evidence used to convict them. It also expands the definition of "enemy combatants" to include those who provide weapons, money and other support to terrorist groups.

I think this bill puts our soldiers at further risk. I'm sure the loved ones of soldiers would love to have bodies shipped back in the condition that Iraqi's are finding theirs. We cannot pretend to be the moral authority for the world and then take less than the high ground. I pray this does go to the Supreme Court gets overturned. Unfortunately, this is an election tactic to use against the Democrats and it may fire up the nutty base just enough to send them to the polls in November.