By Anna Cameron
Thursday, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and fellow Republican colleagues followed the example set by House Armed Services Committee chairman Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) earlier this week, as they, too, introduced legislation focused on military detention reform.
“Nearly ten years after 9/11, our nation still does not have a rational detainee policy,” noted Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). “That is simply unacceptable.”
The Military Detainee Procedures Improvement Act is designed to reaffirm and coincide with the Authorization for Use of Military Force that was enacted under President George W. Bush in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
“It has become clear in the past several years that not having a long-term detention policy is no solution for fighting terrorism,” said Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) “Faced with a recidivism rate of more than 25 percent, we must get serious about minimizing the threat [of] former GTMO detainees.”
Among the bills that comprise the comprehensive detainee policy is a detention procedures bill, an interrogation bill and a habeas bill, as well as an initiative concerning the trial of 9/11 orchestrator Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM).
“The Administration has badly managed the trial of KSM and the 9/11 conspirators,” Graham said. “[He] should not face trial by military commission [or] federal district court. Under the Laws of War, he is not entitled to the same constitutional rights as an American citizen.”
Both the Senate detainee legislation and the House bill introduced Wednesday by Rep. McKeon follow President Obama’s signing of an executive order allowing for the indefinite detention without trial of Guantanamo Bay prisoners.
“The President’s decisions to hold Guantanamo detainees who are still at war with the United States until the end of hostilities and his decision to refer new charges to military commissions are moves in the right direction,” said Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.). “However, there is still much more work to do.”
Sen. McCain informed reporters that in speaking with Rep. McKeon Wednesday, he is hopeful of reaching continuity between the Senate and House bills.
“We are going to embark on an effort to see if we can resolve the differences, which are not significant, between the two bills,” said McCain. “Obviously having the same bill come out of the House Armed Services Committee, that we would also support over here, would enhance its chances of passage.”