Stop war crimes
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/involved/warcrimes091906.html
This site is an easy way to write your senators to tell them not to weaken the War Crimes Act. Such a move could legalize the kinds of abuses we saw at Abu Ghraib, like sexual humiliation and extreme stress positions. The reason this could happen very soon is that the Administration is pressuring Congress to do it.
Here's a Nation article on it: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061002/brecher
Due to strong popular opinion against war crimes and for respect for the international rule of law, there is some resistence within Congress and even within Bush's own party. Senate Armed Services Committee has so far rejected the Administration's efforts to weaken the War Crimes Act.
By writing to our senators, we can counteract this pressure: http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/involved/warcrimes091906.html.
Even Bush's former Secretary of State Colin Powell is standing up to the White House. On Wednesday he said, "The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism. To redefine Common Article 3 [of the Geneva Conventions] would add to those doubts. Furthermore, it would put our own troops at risk."
Senator John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, said, "Weakening the Geneva protections is not only unnecessary, but would set an example ... that [would] put our military personnel and others directly at risk in this and future wars."
This site is an easy way to write your senators to tell them not to weaken the War Crimes Act. Such a move could legalize the kinds of abuses we saw at Abu Ghraib, like sexual humiliation and extreme stress positions. The reason this could happen very soon is that the Administration is pressuring Congress to do it.
Here's a Nation article on it: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061002/brecher
Due to strong popular opinion against war crimes and for respect for the international rule of law, there is some resistence within Congress and even within Bush's own party. Senate Armed Services Committee has so far rejected the Administration's efforts to weaken the War Crimes Act.
By writing to our senators, we can counteract this pressure: http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/involved/warcrimes091906.html.
Even Bush's former Secretary of State Colin Powell is standing up to the White House. On Wednesday he said, "The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism. To redefine Common Article 3 [of the Geneva Conventions] would add to those doubts. Furthermore, it would put our own troops at risk."
Senator John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, said, "Weakening the Geneva protections is not only unnecessary, but would set an example ... that [would] put our military personnel and others directly at risk in this and future wars."