Posted by
CCBlogger on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 2:30:05 PM
This came in today from the House Republican Conference Press Office. I realize its PR stuff, but all citizens should have access to what their politicians are saying. Also, the war on terror is central So, here it is:
Speaker J. Dennis
Hastert (R-IL):
"Recent events remind
Americans that the world is a very dangerous place that takes strong leadership
and resolve to fight and win the Global War on Terror. North Korea recklessly tested its first nuclear
weapon leaving the stability of the Pacific Rim
hanging in the balance. The recent speeches made by Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez against America demonstrate how
badly they want to destroy the American way of life. The disruption of the
London bomb plot to turn airplanes into weapons
against the United
States showed just how far they will
go.
"The Global War on
Terror is different from any war we have ever known. It is fought on many
different battlefields and in many different settings. As a country we must
understand that adapting to these new situations is critical in order to achieve
victory over those who seek to hurt us as a nation.
"That is why this
Terrorist Tribunal Legislation is so vital. It adapts our judicial system to
allow for the prosecution and punishment of these suspected enemy combatants
while maintaining the basic rights that we all hold dear. These terrorist
tribunals will allow the suspected terrorists to address the charges against
them, with legal defense provided by the U.S.
government. In addition, classified evidence is protected from disclosure to the
accused terrorists.
"The Democratic plan
would gingerly pamper the terrorists who plan to destroy innocent Americans'
lives. While House Republicans work to deal with these dangers like
establishing Terrorist Tribunals that will prosecute enemies of America, Democrat Leader Pelosi and
159 of her colleagues voted in favor of NEW rights for terrorists.
"The House Democrat
Leader does not understand that our fight for freedom does not just happen on
the battlefield but also on the floor of the House of Representatives. It
should come as no surprise that the Democrats in the House put their liberal
agenda ahead of the security of America."
House
Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH):
"Republicans recognize
the serious nature of the terrorist threat and believe the President should have
every tool at his disposal to protect the American people. This program has
proven invaluable in our efforts to disrupt terrorist plots before they happen
and gather critical intelligence vital to our homeland and national security.
In addition to learning critical information by interrogating terrorists, we can
now begin to put terrorists such as alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh
Mohammad on trial for their crimes. I commend Chairman Hunter and Chairman
Sensenbrenner for their hard work on this important bill and their efforts to
give the President the tools he needs to help keep America
safe.
"Capitol Hill
Democrats have yet to offer any solutions or formulate any serious national
security policy on how to keep America safe in a post-9/11 world.
The Democrats' partisan opposition to this program, at the urging of the radical
leftist element of their Party, provides further proof that they continue to put
politics ahead of addressing the security concerns of the American people. They
voted against bringing the most dangerous terrorists to justice, and it
underscores why the American people don't trust Democrats when it comes to
national and homeland security."
House
Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO):
"We are
facing an enemy that has a clear objective of destroying our American way of
life, and we need every tool available to prosecute these terrorists. The
Military Commissions Act will enable our troops and intelligence agents to
operate against a new enemy on a new battlefield.
"To
defend the nation after September 11, 2001, we had to go on offense. These
terrorists do not represent any government, but rather a jihadist element intent
on harming the United
States. The ability to conduct military
tribunals is crucial to our effort to turn back the tide of violence and hatred
that fuels the terrorists.
"The
Military Commissions Act will enable us to keep America
safe by making sure the terrorists are off the streets and brought to justice."
House Republican
Conference Chairman Deborah Pryce (R-OH):
"Our
nation has captured hundreds of suspected terrorists since 9/11, but up to now,
we've lacked a mechanism for bringing any terrorist to justice. The Military
Commissions Act creates a fair and efficient process that protects the rights of
the accused while ensuring that terrorists face the consequences of their
actions. The bill also ensures that sensitive intelligence and
intelligence-gathering methods are protected to safeguard our personnel and
ensure our country can continue to successfully combat
terrorists."
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