Posted by Jill Zuckman at 1:26 pm CDT
As the Senate turns this week to the question of what to do about military tribunals for enemy combatants, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) arrived today at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base for a fact-finding mission.
Durbin, who is traveling with Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), will tour the detention facilities, eat lunch with Illinois and Virginia soldiers and receive a briefing from the base commanders.
After the Supreme Court rejected the current system for judging enemy combatants, Congress is embarking this week on a series of hearings to decide what to do next.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) told reporters that the Court’s decisions gives Congress “an opportunity to update our laws.’’ He said senators and staff are working to understand exactly what the court’s decision meant and how to craft a response.
One thing, he said, was clear: “We will act legislatively.’’
“This can be done in a cooperative way, working across the aisle,’’ said an optimistic Frist. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, however, have conflicting views, including whether any legislation is needed at all.
But Frist said not to expect legislation to reach the floor in July, due to extensive hearings.
“It would be unlikely I could bring it to the Senate floor. I don’t want to rule it out,’’ he said.
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Comments
Oh my, Dick Durbin is visiting the U.S. gulag, er Gitmo? Gee, I would love to see the eyes of the our brave military down there looking at the traitor otherwise known as Illinois' embarrassment.
Posted by: John D | July 10, 2006 2:28 PM
John D.,
What do you make of the fact that he's traveling with a Republican from Virginia?
Posted by: Dienne | July 10, 2006 2:49 PM
Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld in Gitmo. Wouldn't that be a welcome headline?
Posted by: Tom O | July 10, 2006 3:06 PM
Maybe Dr. Frist can look at video of the last state of the union and determine if GWB is in a persisent vegetative state.
Posted by: drew | July 10, 2006 3:08 PM
Sen. Durbin was the Democrat who, a few months ago, compared American soldiers to "Nazis". Perhaps he'll travel from Guantanamo to Cuba and find out what oppression REALLY is.
Posted by: Bruce | July 10, 2006 5:32 PM
Eddie HAskel is visting Gitmo on a fact finding mission, How many years has he been shooting his mouth off without knowing the facts?
I wonder if he will call the Marines Nazis to their face?
Posted by: Terry | July 10, 2006 8:38 PM
Maybe Durbin's hunting for war criminals down at Gitmo. He is a famed nazi hunter, you know. Isn't the state of Illinois politics sad when people like this represent us? Ugh, it galls me.
Posted by: Bill | July 10, 2006 11:25 PM