I phoned both my Senators' offices and my Congressperson's office...

[Eric J in MN]

...this morning against the Military Tribunals bill.

During one of the calls, I said I hope the Senator will vote against the bill because I share the concerns in an editorial in today's Washington Post, "Rush to Error."

Congress should not allow itself to be pushed into approving a flawed plan for holding terrorist suspects.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006; Page A26

AFTER BARELY three weeks of debate, the Senate today will take up a momentous piece of legislation that would set new legal rules for the detention, interrogation and trial of accused terrorists. We have argued that the only remedy to the mess made by the Bush administration in holding hundreds of detainees without charge at Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere since 2001 was congressional action. Yet rather than carefully weigh the issues, Congress has allowed itself to be stampeded into a vote on hastily written but far-reaching legal provisions, in a preelection climate in which dissenters risk being labeled as soft on terrorism.

...Foremost among (the bill's problems) is the legislation's attempt to prevent U.S. courts from ruling on the treatment of prisoners in the future, including any procedures the Bush administration might adopt for interrogations. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) fought for language in the bill that he believes would stop practices such as simulated drowning, prolonged sleep deprivation and induced hypothermia, but many lawyers believe the administration could interpret the law to permit such abuse.

...A second major problem with the bill is its definition of who could be regarded as an enemy combatant and thus be subject to the exceptional detention and trial procedures. Another hasty agreement over the weekend would allow foreign civilians in the United States or even U.S. citizens to be arrested and held without charge indefinitely on grounds that they "supported hostilities against the United States."

Contact info for Senators:
http://contactcongress.blogspot.com/

You can use Google or www.vote-smart.org to find your Congressperson's contact info.

[myrna minx]

1. Hi Eric.

:hi: What did Coleman's office say?

[Eric J in MN]

2. I called Senator Norm Coleman's office and asked

...to speak to someone about the Military Tribunals bill.

I was told that the people involved with the bill were in a meeting, and I was connected to someone's voice-mail. I left a message saying I share the concerns in "Rush to Error" editorial in today's Washington Post that the torture would contine and that the definition of who can be detained indefiniately is too broad, and that I hope the Senator will vote against the bill.

[myrna minx]

3. Thanks. n/t

[Eric J in MN]

4. Please contact Congress against the Military Tribunals bill.

It would allow torture to continue.

http://contactcongress.blogspot.com

[Eric J in MN]

5. kick

kick

[Eric J in MN]

6. If you don't want to phone, then please email...

...that editorial to Congress.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/26/AR2006092601475.html