Say NO! to rendition
On Bloggers Against Torture, elendil has posted the following letter that you can use as a template to write your senator. Elendil says:
Dear Senator:
We urge you to vote in favor of the Durbin Amendment #4341, a mechanism to prohibit extraordinary rendition of detainees to countries likely to practice torture. Torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment must never be permitted under U.S. policy, under any circumstances. The practice of U.S. delivery of a prisoner under the protection of diplomatic assurances that the receiving country will not torture must be monitored by our government to ensure that the U.S. is not unwittingly complicit in the practice of torture by other countries. As Senator McCain and Senator Dodd have eloquently reminded us all, this principle arises from our knowledge of ourselves as a country that is grounded in the rule of law.
Sen. Durbin's amendment has two parts. First, it would reaffirm the legal prohibition on sending an individual to a country where it is likely that he or she will be tortured. Second, it would require the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and other relevant officials, to certify to Congress that a country which has given diplomatic assurance that it will not torture an individual has, in fact, complied with that promise. If the Secretary of State is unable to verify that a particular country is complying with its assurances, the United States would be prohibited from transferring anyone else to that country.
Sen. Durbin's amendment would not prohibit the use of diplomatic assurances as the basis for renditions. Rather, it would provide that such assurances satisfy our national treaty obligations when coupled with a required procedure to ensure compliance with the diplomatic assurances concerning the treatment of an individual detainee.
Religious leaders from across the spectrum of belief systems have proclaimed as recently as last week, in an ad in the New York Times, that every human being has dignity and worth, and that no human being should ever be tortured or treated in a cruel, inhuman or degrading manner. Torture under any circumstances violates our nation's most cherished values. Sen. Durbin's amendment is a modest step to ensuring that those values are protected by U.S. policy concerning rendition.
Yours truly,
UPDATE URGENT ACTION:
Support for Durbin amendment #4341 to Defense authorization bill (S. 2766) "No Rendition to Torture" amendment
In the comments I've put a sample letter to use to draft a fax to your Senators to urge them to support this amendment against rendition. We do not know the exact timing of the vote, but it could be soon so it is critical to make your voice heard today, by fax or phone (via No2Torture email group).
Dear Senator:
We urge you to vote in favor of the Durbin Amendment #4341, a mechanism to prohibit extraordinary rendition of detainees to countries likely to practice torture. Torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment must never be permitted under U.S. policy, under any circumstances. The practice of U.S. delivery of a prisoner under the protection of diplomatic assurances that the receiving country will not torture must be monitored by our government to ensure that the U.S. is not unwittingly complicit in the practice of torture by other countries. As Senator McCain and Senator Dodd have eloquently reminded us all, this principle arises from our knowledge of ourselves as a country that is grounded in the rule of law.
Sen. Durbin's amendment has two parts. First, it would reaffirm the legal prohibition on sending an individual to a country where it is likely that he or she will be tortured. Second, it would require the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and other relevant officials, to certify to Congress that a country which has given diplomatic assurance that it will not torture an individual has, in fact, complied with that promise. If the Secretary of State is unable to verify that a particular country is complying with its assurances, the United States would be prohibited from transferring anyone else to that country.
Sen. Durbin's amendment would not prohibit the use of diplomatic assurances as the basis for renditions. Rather, it would provide that such assurances satisfy our national treaty obligations when coupled with a required procedure to ensure compliance with the diplomatic assurances concerning the treatment of an individual detainee.
Religious leaders from across the spectrum of belief systems have proclaimed as recently as last week, in an ad in the New York Times, that every human being has dignity and worth, and that no human being should ever be tortured or treated in a cruel, inhuman or degrading manner. Torture under any circumstances violates our nation's most cherished values. Sen. Durbin's amendment is a modest step to ensuring that those values are protected by U.S. policy concerning rendition.
Yours truly,
Comments:
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Hey thanks for the comment yesterday. I thought I really added to the discussion. Part II...his reply is now up.
Donkepahnt
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