Bush Violating Rights

Surprise!

It seems that some legal experts, judges no less, say that President Bush's efforts to allow torture of prisoners is a violation of rights.

Exerpt:

Nine retired federal judges accused the Bush administration and Congress of trying to deprive detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, of the most basic legal right.

Legislation under debate on Capitol Hill would strip federal courts of the power to hear detainees' challenges of their treatment and indefinite detention at the Guantanamo Bay.

"Depriving the courts of habeas jurisdiction will jeopardize the judiciary's ability to ensure that executive detentions are not grounded on torture or other abuse," the nine wrote Thursday in a letter to Congress.

Congress and the Bush administration would be skating "on thin constitutional ice" in depriving courts of their power to hear Guantanamo detainees, the letter added.

The retired judges said federal courts have long balanced the rights of defendants against the need to protect classified information vital to the nation's security.