House backs proposed torture ban News
House backs proposed torture ban

[JURIST] The US House of Representatives late Wednesday voted 308-122 in support of the so-called McCain Amendment [JURIST document], designed to prohibit the cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment of detainees in US custody. The non-binding vote instructs negotiators working to finalize the 2006 military spending bill, to which the amendment is attached, to include the amendment in the final version. The amendment was attached to the Senate version of the spending bill in a 90-9 vote [JURIST report], and was later unanimously reaffirmed [JURIST report] in the Senate. The amendment also prohibits detainee treatment that is not in accordance with the US Army field manual on interrogation techniques. The Army has reportedly given provisional approval for new guidelines [JURIST report] which could push the legal limits on interrogation, though the Pentagon has denied [Reuters report] that changes are planned. The White House has expressed opposition to the amendment [policy statement, PDF], saying that it would interfere with the protection of Americans from terrorism and would restrict the President's ability to conduct war effectively. McCain has said that he hopes to reach an agreement with the White House in the next few days. Reuters has more.

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 Topic: Torture | Op-ed: Perjury, Lies and Degrading Treatment: The Case for the McCain Amendment

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38 Santee Sioux hanged by US for rebellion

On December 26, 1862, 38 Santee Sioux men were hanged in a mass execution for their roles in a rebellion against US authorities in Minnesota which left hundreds dead and made refugees of some 40,000 white settlers. Government annuities promised under a treaty with the Sioux had failed to arrive on schedule and credit for purchases was not advanced in the meantime, threatening the tribe with starvation. The Santee Sioux Tribe's members were deported first to South Dakota and ultimately to Nebraska, where they remain today. Learn more about the 1862 Minnesota Sioux Rebellion.

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