Pentagon Counsel: New Rules Convict Detainees ‘Based On Nothing But A Coerced Confession’
Pentagon Counsel: New Rules Convict Detainees ‘Based On Nothing But A Coerced Confession’
Following the guidelines Congress set down in the Military Commissions Act late last year, the Pentagon yesterday unveiled new rules for detainee trials “that could allow terror suspects to be convicted and perhaps executed using hearsay testimony and coerced statements.”
At a Pentagon briefing, Dan Dell’Orto, deputy to the Defense Department’s top counsel, said the new rules will “afford all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized people.” Dell’Orto’s view is not shared throughout the Pentagon’s counsels office. Col. Dwight H. Sullivan, the Chief Defense Counsel in the Office of Military Commissions, issued a statement yesterday criticizing the new rules:
The rules appear carefully crafted to ensure than an accused can be convicted — and possibly executed — based on nothing but a coerced confession. The rules would allow an accused to be executed based on nothing but hearsay.
[...]
The rules’ broad protections for classified information threaten to swallow everything. These rules are particularly scary coming in the wake of new Guantánamo classification guidelines that make even the prisoners’ own name classified as ‘SECRET.’
The rules violate the principle that the jury shouldn’t be allowed to see anything that the defendant can’t see. Witnesses can be shielded so that the defendant can’t see them, but the jury can.
Read Sullivan’s full statement here.
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And the swiftboating for Col. Sullivan begins in 4, 3, 2, 1…
January 19th, 2007 at 11:37 amIn an interview, Brig. Gen. Thomas Hemingway, legal adviser to the Pentagon’s office on commissions, said he doubted that most cases would rely solely on coercive or hearsay evidence.
“These case are pretty complex and it’s not going to sink or swim, I don’t believe, on a single statement,” he said.
If the case won’t be made or broken solely on coercive or heresay evidence then why the need to allow it? The only answer I can come up with is that they will use it to make their case. Lying sack of scat.
January 19th, 2007 at 11:39 amThis administration is moving at top speed to deprive all Americans of their rights. This must be stopped. Demand impeachment now, write your representatives!
January 19th, 2007 at 11:40 amBush’s ghoulish obsession with torture, secret prisons, and kangaroo court proceedings, is right out of the mold from which Third World dictators are hatched. Saddam used to give people “trials” of a sort before executing them, too.
Bush is no better than Saddam Hussein. He just hasn’t had as much time and power to kill as many people. But on his current trajectory he will get there, given enough time.
January 19th, 2007 at 11:42 amIt’s because 98%, or possibly all, of the men at Guantanamo Bay were turned in by Northern Alliance fighters trying to collect a $1,000 Bounty for each captured “Taliban” member.
They’ve been there for years, convicted of nothing, and now they’re being charged for coerced admissions.
Anyone will tell you what you want to hear if you torture them enough.
There’s no guarantee there will be any truth behind it, though.
January 19th, 2007 at 11:42 amWell, there it is, folks. Anyone can be grabbed off the street, labeled an ‘enemy combatant’, convicted of treason based upon hearsay testimony from accusers he cannot confront, and taken out back and shot, all in record time.
Folks, the America we grew up in isn’t just in trouble anymore, it’s DEAD. Get used to it.
And in case you re thinking that you’ll be OK because, after all, you don’t do anything wrong, I’ll leave you with some chilling words from the good pasor Martin Niemoller:
January 19th, 2007 at 11:50 am
Does this make Americans feel safer? It shouldn’t – you’re next.
January 19th, 2007 at 11:53 amYeah, but if nobody wants to pass on hearsay accusations about you, and you have nothing to confess under coercion, then you’ve got nothing to worry about. Right?
January 19th, 2007 at 11:58 amAmerican’s don’t deserve their rights, they have become too complacent, apathetic, and ignorant. Poeple inherently don’t know what to do with their rights, and need to be told what to do.
I don’t know if I meant that as sarcastic or not. Hmmmm…
January 19th, 2007 at 12:02 pmanybody check on col. sullivan lately?
January 19th, 2007 at 12:04 pmi’d worry about his “health”…
I’d say Col Sullivan deserves the medal of freedom.
What a banana republic, er, I mean country; kangaroo courts with torture statements.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:05 pmAnd my comment has been erased. How fitting.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:07 pm#10 – DonS,
Col Sullivan may deserve the Medal of Freedom, but what he probably will receive is a royal smearing.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:13 pmSince I’m not sure exactly why my comment was erased, I’ll post it again:
January 19th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
“afford all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized people.â€
Key word here folks.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:17 pmtry it again, trip… a bit of editing maybe… i found being tenacious works…
January 19th, 2007 at 12:18 pmHmm…I did try it again, katy…and it has yet to be seen.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:24 pmBush is no better than Saddam Hussein. He just hasn’t had as much time and power to kill as many people. But on his current trajectory he will get there, given enough time.
Comment by VerbalKint #4
How long was Saddam in power?
…now extrapolate how many deaths Bushiva and L’il dick are responsible for to date…
…over THAT same period of time…
…or Castro’s reign…
…who’s EVIL?
January 19th, 2007 at 12:24 pmHmm…I did try it again, katy…and it has yet to be seen.
Comment by TripMaster Monkey
Misspell the words, and make it sound all crazy. That should work. :)
January 19th, 2007 at 12:26 pmThis is very sick, dangerous business and once it is common knowledge around the world, the reputation of this country will descend yet to another nadir! And, it is quite understandably so when we purport and spin one thing and do the diametric opposite. What does that mean for our captured soldiers in the future or americans traveling abroad? One good turn deserves another? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you? Well, we americans are sealing their own fate (or doom as the case may be) with this one, sorry to say.
Again, how much more are we going to allow these Imperialists to do in the trashing of our constitution, our own civil rights, and the rights of other human beings?
We’ve become the biggest hypocrites on the planet! What the heck is going on? Every hour there’s a new criminal activity unveiled to the american public – every day more people are exposed for their overt corruption. How much more can this democracy tolerate?
January 19th, 2007 at 12:27 pmInteresting thought Big Papa.
Proportionally, Bushy has done the most damage, in the shortest period of time.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:27 pmThird time trying to post this…wonder what TP has against Niemoller…
January 19th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
Veritas,
The problem is the level of ignorance, complacency, and apathy in the general public. When the TV don’t work no more, or the gas pump is empty, then the obese one-celled organisms will get off thier asses.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:29 pmNo Al-Maliki is saying that it’s the very Bush administration who are abetting the terrorists – he’s throwing Bush’s own comments about Democrats who’ve disagreed with his demonic policies right into Bush’s face! The next thing Maliki will do is to hold the Bush administration responsible for the 36,000 Iraqi deaths this year….along with 3,000+ american soldiers who have lost their lives for this twisted experiment called Iraq. IRAQ GOES DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE LARGEST FAILURE OF AN EXPERIMENTAL POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY IN THE WORLD!
January 19th, 2007 at 12:29 pmWeren’t these same rules last used in The Spanish Inquisition?
January 19th, 2007 at 12:31 pmWell, some of us perhaps more literate individuals read George Orwell’s book eons ago and can see this country for what it has become. The others are complacent for a panoply of reasons ranging from being unconsciously incompetent……to consciously incompetent (which is where overt complacency comes in)….to outright DOA….the world of denial and dual reality. Unfortunately, the gig is coming up very soon for this country and people will surprisingly find themselves in a fascist, imperialistic state where they have no rights and no constitution to maintain a democracy any longer. It’s already in progress…..and began with 9/11….whose real truth has yet to be unveiled. When that happens, the hammers of hell will fall on those who’ve preferred to simply remain ignorant and complacent.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:33 pmAre we sure this is still America? Ya know, that place where people are innocent until proven guilty.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:33 pmWasn’t it Dumbya who called this “A Crusade” early on?? I rest my case! Spanish Inquisition…..the Crusades….all over again! Not to mention Watergate Redux X 100!
January 19th, 2007 at 12:34 pm#24…..Nope…unfortunately not! It’s what they have in Mexico called “Napoleonic Law”…..guilty till one proves his innocence!
January 19th, 2007 at 12:35 pmI’ve only seen bits and pieces about a Jan. 27th protest in D.C.
…anyone have a link with the full info?
January 19th, 2007 at 12:36 pmOK, TP, WHAT THE HELL???
I posted a comment that included the famous Martin Niemoller poem. It showed up for about 5 minutes, and then it was deleted. Subsequent attempts to repost the comment have all met with failure.
Did I somehow violate one of the Terms of Service of this site by quoting Niemoller? If so, which one???
January 19th, 2007 at 12:36 pmLet’s see how this works when other countries kidnap Americans and do the same justice. It’s easy to say the US can convict with hear say but it’s another when it happens to us. The US has long killed prisoners who were later found innocent, now that’s become US policy. There are current charges again Rummy and Gonzo pending in another country they might use the new US policy for their trial. Yes only on hear say evidence Rummy and Gonzo could be found guilty. Bush is trying to find a way out of the mess he created only to get deeper in chaos that will come back to bite the US in the butt.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:37 pmHmm…I did try it again, katy…and it has yet to be seen.
Comment by TripMaster Monkey
Dont you remember those good old days where we could post everything we wanted (9/11, Israel, etc…)without being deleted?
January 19th, 2007 at 12:38 pmIt was yesterday.
I know this may be ancient history but does anyone recall when Republican administrations had principles, ethics?
1) What ever happened to balancing the budget?
2) Didn’t the Democrats always start wars to overcome economic problems?
3) Wasn’t government interference in our private lives a major problem?
4) America first–so what happened to that?
5) The land of opportunity, rather than the private playground of the already rich?
6) The right to privacy and freedom of religion, rather than big brother and fundamentalist Christians dictating morals.
7) Freedom of the press.
8) Freedom from illegal search and seizure.
Amazing what 6 years of a wannabe dictator can do to us.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:39 pmDemocrats give you the Bill of Rights; Republicans sell you a bill of goods!
January 19th, 2007 at 12:40 pmWe saw way ahead of time about Iraq being a mess.
Here we are again, we see this shit coming way ahead of time. When people wake up to this it will be too late.
Bye.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:40 pmONE LETTER SEPERATES CLINTON FROM BUSH!
Clinton – BLOW JOB
January 19th, 2007 at 12:41 pmBush – BLOWN JOB
Oh yeah Juan, it was on a different blog too.
January 19th, 2007 at 12:41 pmIt was yesterday.
Comment by Juan C
The day we were on AmericaBlog? :)
January 19th, 2007 at 12:42 pmJuan C sez:
Yes, Juan, I do….and even odder, this post had nothing objectionable in it at all.
No profanity whatsoever, no references to any of the verboten topics….but it did have the text of Martin Niemoller’s famous poem (which I thought to be quite relevant in this instance).
Perhaps TP has a problem with Niemoller, or simply all poetry in general…
I think I’ll mosey back on over to where we were yesterday for a while, where I can post without fear of censorship. Maybe I’ll check back later.
…or maybe I’ll see you and my other good TP friends there instead…
January 19th, 2007 at 12:46 pmThe day we were on AmericaBlog? :)
Comment by Zooey
Didnt see you there. Thought you were in class.
And, yeah, pretty impressive the freedom of haloscan. :)
Trip, I have seen that poem posted here in TP a lot of times. Again, I guess its a technical problem (although I dont know why the appear and disappear)…
January 19th, 2007 at 12:51 pmCoerced Confessions are no different than Nazis trying people falsely!
January 19th, 2007 at 12:53 pmJuan, I totally forgot about it until last night, then I was on for a little while. You did pretty well on there. :)
January 19th, 2007 at 12:55 pmJuan C sez:
Indeed…I myself have posted it more than once. The further this administration goes, the more relevant it gets.
Yes…I’d like to know what ‘technical problem’ allows it to appear, then ‘disappears’ it, and then causes it to not appear after I attempt reposting it twice.
Mighty curious…
January 19th, 2007 at 12:56 pmThe Cold War is over and the USSR won. We have have become a country that good old Joe Stalin could appreciate. Gulags? We got ‘em! Tortured “confessions”? Yup! Spying on citizens? You betcha! Show trials? Of course! Dissent viewed as being dangerous and unpatriotic? That’s why we got Dick. Propoganda by state run media? We have Fox, how else could O’Reilly, Cavuto, Gibson, and Hannity get a job?
Stalin, Brezhnev, Krushshev, Bush. Hail Komrades!
January 19th, 2007 at 12:57 pmJuan, I totally forgot about it until last night, then I was on for a little while. You did pretty well on there. :)
Comment by Zooey
Ha ha ha. I posted three times only. I guess. But thanks. Hows school?
January 19th, 2007 at 1:00 pmCensoring a “progressive” comment section = quick way to alienate your Progressive base.
Keep it up, Think Progress, and watch your readership drop to Republican Levels.
January 19th, 2007 at 2:02 pm“…Yes…I’d like to know what ‘technical problem’ allows it to appear, then ‘disappears’ it, and then causes it to not appear after I attempt reposting it twice. Mighty curious… ”
Comment by TripMaster Monkey
******Dear MonkeyTrip – The “technical problem” you refer to is an ideological problem. Mentioning certain “progressive” taboo-topics(C*mmu^ism, $oci*lism, etc.) magically induces the censorship of my posts. Plunger fell off the boards with his crazy paranoia – but as Mr. Aphrodite and were discussing on our to dinner last night, it always better to know what your ideological enemies are thinking and the “reasoning” behind their opinions. I guess “gross and filthy” have not offended the censors yet…..
January 19th, 2007 at 2:46 pm#46 should be disapearing ANY moment….
Tooodles…..
January 19th, 2007 at 2:46 pm#22 Inquiring Minds
Weren’t these same rules last used in The Spanish Inquisition?
Hmmm. I didn’t expect the Spanish Inquisition.
January 19th, 2007 at 2:52 pm#45 MA
…it always better to know what your ideological enemies are thinking and the “reasoning†behind their opinions. I guess “gross and filthy†have not offended the censors yet…..
I agree. It is…when there’s reasoning behind their opinions. When it becomes nothing more than defending the home team no matter how bad it sucks, those opinions don’t count for much.
January 19th, 2007 at 2:58 pmWe will hear Bushco squeeeel like a little pig when his time for justice comes.
January 20th, 2007 at 11:58 amYes. I hear that Deliverance 2 will feature Dick “squeal like a pig” Cheney, George “ya sure got a purty mouth” Bush and, hey- who’s playing the hillbilly?
January 20th, 2007 at 2:42 pmContrary to all the complete and accurate propaganda passed off as incomplete and inaccurate news, this is no eye-opener. Is this the part where the American people are supposed to act surprised? Snap the hell out of it, corporate media.
#53
I made the list! I made the list! Awesome!!!
January 20th, 2007 at 6:34 pmWhen are people going to get off there butts and start letting there VOICE be HEARD , Impeach Bush , Chenny , Gonzales !
January 21st, 2007 at 5:56 pm