CNN Inside Politics - Transcript

CNN Inside Politics - Transcript
Monday, June 27, 2005

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CROWLEY: Over the weekend, Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon was part of a bipartisan Congressional delegation that visited the Guantanamo Bay Naval base, in Cuba. In a moment, I'll talk with Republican Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina, who was also on the trip, but first, Senator Wyden joins me from Capitol Hill.

So, Senator, I guess the big question is: Did you see anything that made you change your mind about the facility?

SEN. RON WYDEN (D), OREGON: I think under General Hood they've made real improvements. I really get a sense there's a different approach to the interrogations, you don't see the same kind of stress points, sleep deprivation, that sort of thing.

I'll tell you, I have essentially made the judgment that you close Guantanamo and you'll have less accountability for these detainees and probably through the rendition process, outsource a lot of these interrogations to countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, that don't share our values.

CROWLEY: You've called -- I have a quote here -- called the prison there, "A black mark on America's image and a danger to the American troops abroad." Sounds to me, a little bit, like you think that things have changed enough that you're willing to let it stay there.

WYDEN: Well, of course, Candy, I was talking about the reputation that had developed over the last few months, but I do sense that some significant progress has been made, but there is still more to do.

The president is absolutely right; we're dealing with a war. This is a war on terrorism to protect our citizens. This is not a garden-variety criminal justice kind of issue, but I do think Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill have got to find a way to clarify the legal status of these detainees, because they're in a kind of legal-limbo that I think needs to be addressed.

CROWLEY: And what about an independent commission, something that the president has rejected? I'm wondering if you think there should be any kind of independent commission to look into allegations of abuse at Guantanamo?

WYDEN: I haven't reached a judgment on an independent commission, but I have on the key question and that is that Congress ought to step in and do its job. I met these wonderful guards yesterday, from Oregon; people like Kristen Seymor (ph) and Michael Edmundson (ph). They are doing their job.

The Congress needs to step in, however, and address these legal questions about the status of these individuals, how they're held, when they're charged, this sort of thing and that's something Congress ought to do on a bipartisan basis.

CROWLEY: Is that something you think Congress can do on a bipartisan basis? It seems to me, that every issue now surrounding the war seems to kind of end up in a -- in partisan bickering. Do you think that Congress, at this point, is capable of getting together and saying we need to have some -- and get -- you need to get together with the administration as well. We need to have some sort of rules that govern this.

WYDEN: Well, you're being logical, Candy, and sometimes that doesn't apply to Congress, but I sense a growing need for bipartisanship here. The comments that Senator Nelson and I made this afternoon, I think, could track quite well with the comments that Senator Specter, the chairman, of course, of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

All of us are saying that these issues, with respect to the legal status of prisoners, as of now, are not dictated by any law passed by Congress. Essentially, they're administrative proceedings that are raising questions; congress can do better. CROWLEY: Let me ask you, quickly, just want to turn the corner; we learned over the weekend that the administration -- or that forces on the ground in Iraq are, in fact, talking to insurgents. We are told that negotiations would be too heavy a word, too big a word, but that they're meeting with them. Do you have any problem with that?

WYDEN: I will tell you that the second that we can hand over the key functions of self-governance; here I am talking about the military and law enforcement. We need to have a way to start bringing our folks home.

I, of course, was one of 23 in the United States Senate who voted against this and I'm glad Hussein is behind bars, but we've got to figure out a way to start bringing our people home and I am interested in any kind of process that's going to allow self-governance, particularly handing over the military function, the law enforcement function to the Iraqis so our wonderful soldiers can start coming home.

CROWLEY: Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, from the beautiful state of Oregon, we really appreciate your taking the time.

WYDEN: Thanks, again.

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