Council for a Livable World

Political action to reduce nuclear threats

  • Elections
    • Senate Candidates
    • House Candidates
    • Political Analysis
    • Who We’ve Helped Elect
  • Legislation
    • Key National Security Legislation
    • National Security Legislative Calendar
    • Legislative Achievements
  • Take Action
    • Avoiding Oppenheimer’s Nuclear Nightmare in Our Current Reality
    • Issues
    • Join Our Email List
    • Become a Member
  • About
    • Staff
    • Press
    • Newsletter
    • Boards & Experts
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Financials and Annual Reports
    • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Search
You are here: Home / Blog / Our own Generals Hoar, Gard and Johns sign onto a Letter on detainees

November 29, 2011

Our own Generals Hoar, Gard and Johns sign onto a Letter on detainees

General Joseph P. Hoar (USMC, ret.), Lt. General Robert Gard (USA, ret.), and Brigadier General John H. Johns (USA, ret.) signed on to a letter calling for support of Senator Udall’s amendment on detainees with 23 other Generals and Admirals. See the letter below.

Dear Senator:

We are members of a nonpartisan group of forty retired generals and admirals concerned about U.S. policy regarding enemy prisoner treatment and detention.

We write to urge you to vote for Amendment 1107 to the National Defense Authorization Act which would strike all of the controversial detention provisions in sections 1031, 1032 and 1033and, in their place, mandate a process for Congress to consider whether any detention legislation is needed.

As retired general and flag officers, we clearly do not make this request lightly. It is clear, however, that there is significant disagreement over the impact on our national security of these provisions. There should be no disagreement that legislation which both reduces the options available to our Commander-in-Chief to incapacitate terrorists and violates the rule of law would seriously undermine the safety of the American people.

We appreciate that our leaders are constantly striving to make America more secure, but in doing so, we must be careful not to overreact and overreach, resulting in policies that will do more harm than good. At the very least, the current detention provisions merit public debate and should not be agreed to behind closed doors and tucked into legislation as important as our national defense bill.

Click here to see the full list of signers.

Posted in: Blog

Recent Posts

  • Council: Front and Center: August 20, 2023 August 21, 2023
  • Research Analyst July 26, 2023
  • Council: Front and Center: July 23, 2023 July 23, 2023
  • U.S. destroys last of massive chemical weapons stockpile July 7, 2023
  • Statement on the Passing of Daniel Ellsberg June 18, 2023
Council for a Livable World logo

820 1st Street NE, Suite LL-180
Washington, D.C. 20002
Phone: 202.543.4100

Elections

  • Meet The Candidates
  • Senate Candidates
  • House Candidates
  • Who We’ve Helped Elect

Legislation

  • Key National Security Legislation
  • National Security Legislative Calendar
  • Legislative Achievements

Take Action

  • Issues
  • Join Our Email List
  • Become a Member

About

  • History & Mission
  • Staff
  • Press
  • Newsletter
  • Boards & Experts
  • Jobs & Internships
  • Financials and Annual Reports
  • Contact Us
  • Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

© 2023 Council for a Livable World
Privacy Policy