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The Bush administration’s Must-Do List

05 March 2007 in Defence, Politics by Stilgherrian | 3 comments

The New York Times has just published, as their editorial, a list of things that need to be done to “reverse the unwise and lawless policies of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.”

The Bush administration’s assault on some of the founding principles of American democracy marches onward despite the Democratic victory in the 2006 elections. The new Democratic majorities in Congress can block the sort of noxious measures that the Republican majority rubber-stamped. But preventing new assaults on civil liberties is not nearly enough.

Five years of presidential overreaching and Congressional collaboration continue to exact a high toll in human lives, America’s global reputation and the architecture of democracy. Brutality toward prisoners, and the denial of their human rights, have been institutionalized; unlawful spying on Americans continues; and the courts are being closed to legal challenges of these practices.

It will require forceful steps by this Congress to undo the damage.

And those forceful steps?

Here’s their list as bullet points, though the full editorial is well worth reading.

  • Restore Habeas Corpus, the ancient right for someone to challenge their imprisonment in court
  • Stop illegal spying
  • Ban torture, really
  • Close the CIA prisons
  • Account for “ghost prisoners”
  • Ban extraordinary rendition
  • Tighten the definition of combatant
  • Screen prisoners fairly and effectively
  • Ban tainted evidence
  • Ban secret evidence
  • Better define “classified” evidence
  • Respect the right to counsel

Let’s come back to this list in six months and see what’s been fixed.

Thanks to former senator Stephen Loosley for the pointer.

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  1. jason’s avatar

    jason on 06 March 2007 at 12:26 pm

    While we’re at it, let’s get China, Iran, Sudan, et al, to also comply.

    Reply

  2. Stilgherrian’s avatar

    Stilgherrian on 06 March 2007 at 3:15 pm

    Oh yes, Jason, let’s indeed. However I think it’s a big rich (pardon the pun) if our “rich and powerful friends” — and us Australians for that matter — don’t get their own house in order before trying to tell others what to do.

    Reply

  3. jason’s avatar

    jason on 06 March 2007 at 3:27 pm

    Oh yes! The bigger concern is that if America retreats into its own little world of navel gazing, which it certainly will, and drops out of the world stage to any degree, then we might all live to regret.

    There are other rich-and-powerful countries emerging, and they are not our friends, and they don’t give a fuck about that list.

    Reply