Senators Battle Over Iraq Abuse Memos (GOP trying to stop memo release)

[Robbien]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in the U.S. Senate battled on Wednesday to block Democrats from demanding the Bush administration release more documents on the treatment of enemy combatants after the prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq.

Republicans, pushing to pass a $447 billion bill for defense programs, planned a procedural vote that could kill a Democratic amendment demanding Attorney General John Ashcroft turn over documents on the interrogation and treatment of prisoners. But because some Republicans are also urging the White House to make a full disclosure of its policies on prisoners, party leader hoped to avoid putting senators on record as directly opposing the amendment, while still defeating the Democrats.

. . .

Under pressure from lawmakers, the White House on Tuesday released a thick file of newly declassified papers to try to demonstrate that Bush and his top aides insisted that detainees at Guantanamo be treated humanely. But Democrats said the documents were largely irrelevant, and said the White House should make a full disclosure.

The Senate Judiciary Committee on a party line vote last week rejected a Democratic proposal to subpoena 23 documents from the Justice Department they said should be part of an open examination into the abuse of U.S.-held prisoners in Iraq that has drawn worldwide condemnation.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=5497974