Normally, I don't do political things like this on alt.atheism. But
this one...

Do this. Go to The Library of Congress at http://thomas.loc.gov. In the
search bar, type in HR 10. Scroll down to section 3032.

Read it.

Or, read this:

H.R.10

9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act (Introduced in House)

SEC. 3032. EXCEPTION TO RESTRICTION ON REMOVAL FOR TERRORISTS AND
CRIMINALS.

(a) Regulations-

(1) REVISION DEADLINE- Not later than 120 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall
revise the regulations prescribed by the Secretary to implement the
United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, done at New York on
December 10, 1984.

(2) EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN ALIENS- The revision--

(A) shall exclude from the protection of such regulations
aliens described in section 241(b)(3)(B) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1231(b)(3)(B)) (as amended by this
title), including rendering such aliens ineligible for
withholding or deferral of removal under the Convention; and

(B) shall ensure that the revised regulations operate so as
to--

(i) allow for the reopening of determinations made under
the regulations before the effective date of the revision;
and

(ii) apply to acts and conditions constituting a ground for
ineligibility for the protection of such regulations, as
revised, regardless of when such acts or conditions
occurred.

(3) BURDEN OF PROOF- The revision shall also ensure that the burden
of proof is on the applicant for withholding or deferral of removal
under the Convention to establish by clear and convincing evidence
that he or she would be tortured if removed to the proposed country
of removal.

(b) Judicial Review- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no
court shall have jurisdiction to review the regulations adopted to
implement this section, and nothing in this section shall be construed
as providing any court jurisdiction to consider or review claims raised
under the Convention or this section, except as part of the review of a
final order of removal pursuant to section 242 of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1252).

SEC. 3033. ADDITIONAL REMOVAL AUTHORITIES.

(a) In General- Section 241(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
(8 U.S.C. 1231(b)) is amended--

(1) in paragraph (1)--

(A) in each of subparagraphs (A) and (B), by striking the
period at the end and inserting `unless, in the opinion of the
Secretary of Homeland Security, removing the alien to such
country would be prejudicial to the United States.'; and

(B) by amending subparagraph (C) to read as follows:

`(C) ALTERNATIVE COUNTRIES- If the alien is not removed to a
country designated in subparagraph (A) or (B), the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall remove the alien to--

`(i) the country of which the alien is a citizen, subject,
or national, where the alien was born, or where the alien
has a residence, unless the country physically prevents the
alien from entering the country upon the alien's removal
there; or

`(ii) any country whose government will accept the alien
into that country.'; and

(2) in paragraph (2)--

(A) by striking `Attorney General' each place such term appears
and inserting `Secretary of Homeland Security';

(B) by amending subparagraph (D) to read as follows:

`(D) ALTERNATIVE COUNTRIES- If the alien is not removed to a
country designated under subparagraph (A)(i), the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall remove the alien to a country of which
the alien is a subject, national, or citizen, or where the
alien has a residence, unless--

`(i) such country physically prevents the alien from
entering the country upon the alien's removal there; or

`(ii) in the opinion of the Secretary of Homeland Security,
removing the alien to the country would be prejudicial to
the United States.'; and

(C) by amending subparagraph (E)(vii) to read as follows:

`(vii) Any country whose government will accept the alien
into that country.'.

(b) Effective Date- The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to any
deportation, exclusion, or removal on or after such date pursuant to
any deportation, exclusion, or removal order, regardless of whether
such order is administratively final before, on, or after such date.

The United States is supposed to be "The City on the Hill," a beacon unto the
world. That's what the Christian Exceptionalists are supposed to believe.
People like George Bush and his followers are supposed to believe that we are
different, somehow, blessed, an example that others are to look up to.

But we are now seeing the other side of exceptionalism: if we have God's
blessing, we can do no wrong. Everything we do is with God's blessing, after
all.

There is no way that someone detained in secret and denied his full rights to
defense and a confrontation with his accusers can, as specified in section (3),
meet the burden of "guilty until proven innocent." There is no way that someone
can defend himself if there's no judicial review, no appeal, no chance of
having his voice heard.

These people are voting to authorize torture. Rumsfeld and probably Bush
started out tacitly approving "optimal almost-torture" like the near-drowning
in ice water that was so popular at Abu Gahraib, and now seventeen Republicans
have come forth to say that the deportation of individuals arbitrarily deemed
to be "terrorists" by administrative (not judicial) process to countries where
they will be tortured is acceptable.


These seventeen Republicans:

Rep Hastert, J. Dennis [IL-14] - Sponsor, 9/24/2004
Rep Blunt, Roy [MO-7] - 9/24/2004
Rep Boehner, John A. [OH-8] - 9/24/2004
Rep Cox, Christopher [CA-48] - 9/24/2004
Rep Davis, Tom [VA-11] - 9/24/2004
Rep DeLay, Tom [TX-22] - 9/24/2004
Rep Dreier, David [CA-26] - 9/24/2004
Rep Hoekstra, Peter [MI-2] - 9/24/2004
Rep Hunter, Duncan [CA-52] - 9/24/2004
Rep Hyde, Henry J. [IL-6] - 9/24/2004
Rep Nussle, Jim [IA-1] - 9/24/2004
Rep Oxley, Michael G. [OH-4] - 9/24/2004
Rep Pryce, Deborah [OH-15] - 9/24/2004
Rep Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [WI-5] - 9/24/2004
Rep Smith, Christopher H. [NJ-4] - 9/24/2004
Rep Thomas, William M. [CA-22] - 9/24/2004
Rep Young, C. W. Bill [FL-10] - 9/24/2004

I don't know how to put this any clearer: Seventeen Republicans find torture
morally acceptable in the prosecution of the War on Terror.

My disgust is now complete.