Senate says no to torture by 90-9 vote


The pro-torture crowd can still count nine US senators in their number, but 90 other Senators affirmed the primacy of American values and ideas, especially in time of war. This vote would not have turned out so well without the testimony of Captain Ian Fishback, who wrote to Sen. John McCain of the systematic and unnecessary abuse of Iraqi detaineees at the hands of US soldiers.

The bill still faces the Republican-dominated House, but it's likely to pass. President Bush has threatened veto, but is unlikely to follow through.

The vote is a remarkable rebuke to Bush, Rumsfeld, and the rest of the incompetent bufoons who have turned the Iraq War into the quagmire it has become. Here's Andrew's take:
Dick Cheney and George W. Bush got a mere nine votes to continue their policy of condoning or ignoring abuse and torture - an extraordinary rebuke to their immoral, feckless and inhumane management of the war. Their threatened veto has been blown out of the water in the Senate. We still have the House vote, of course, and the committee process. This is by no means over yet, and we can expect Cheney and Rumsfeld to fight hard to keep their policies in place. But the margin of victory in the Senate is a huge success for John McCain, John Warner, Lindsey Graham, Carl Levin and all those who knew what was at stake here. Captain Fishback's courage and integrity have helped bring an end to the disgrace and confusion which has so tarred what was and is a noble cause in Iraq and Afghanistan. One man can make a difference.
Contact your local House member now to urge support for the Senate version of the bill.


GOP torture junkies

Here are the nine US Senators, all Republicans, who favor torture:

Wayne Allard - Colorado
Kit Bond - Missouri
Tom Coburn - Oklahoma
Thad Cochran - Mississippi
John Cornyn - Texas
James Inhofe - Oklahoma
Pat Roberts - Kansas
Jeff Sessions - Alabama
Ted Stevens - Alaska

Nine senators. If we add Rumsfeld, there's enough for a pyramid.

Update

My post was picked up by Slate.com. So now I'm "left leaning Ken". Whatever.
6.10.05 14:14
 


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