senator graham. >> admiral hutson, i have a lot of respect for you. >> thank you. >> we've had a lot of debates about this. in july 12, 2006, you came before the house and the senate and you urged us to use t ecmj as the model, and you said i was an early supporter of the concept of military commissions and their use in the war on terror. i believe then and i still believe now that they are grounded in the proper form to prosecute each terrorist and submitted changes to the ucmj that you thought were practical. but what's changed? >> well, i think an early supporter of military commissions. before we actually put flesh on the bones and i was convinced in those days, quite frankly, that if you populated commissions with people like jonth den, it was going to try. as it turned out, they weren't. we've been here now for how many years and we've tried -- >> but my point is that you said that the ucmj should be the point. and that you believe that the military system was a sound way to try a terrorists. you suggested to the congress that you have deviate but only when necessary. and quite

first retired vice admiral john hutson, kathy dtinguish 27 year career as a navy lawyer by serving asge advocate general. you're a rear admiral. i've been corrected. [inaudible] >> yr mic wasn't on the you may want everyone else to do. you may not want anybody to hear your response. rear admiral john hutn serve as a judge advocate general of the navy from 1997 to the year 2000. is currently dean and president of the franklin pierce law center. second, retiredajor general john altenburg completed a 28 year career as an army lawyer. serving as assistant judge advocate general of the army from 1997 to 2001. and is the first appointing auority for military commission from 2003 to 2006. finally, daniel marcus, serves aseneral counsel of the 9/11 commission after spending a number of years in the white house. the white house counsel's office and the department ofustice, he now teaches nationa security law and constitutional law at the washington college of law at american university. gentlemen, we thank you. we didn't give you much notice. about his hearing. is a very important hearing and

>> i agree with that statement. >> admiral hutson? >> i haven't looked at their files but it's certainly possible. and i would assume that would be the case. >> i just would end with this, mr. chairman, i want to comp polyment this committe i think you've taken a very reasoned approach to military commissions, they're historically valid, the supreme court has told us how they should be formed, and what we are doing with this bill in my opinion is setting a standard beyond what international law would require if they were brought to the hague, and is something the nation could be proud of. i don't think we weakened ourselves at all. i think the extra process that we're providing these detainees will confer legitimacy to the trials that is necessary for us to win this war. and i think we're very close to producing a product the nation can be proud of, and i've eoyed working with you. >> well, thank you very much, senator graham, for all the energy and effort and experience that you've put into this effort. it's been invaluable. senator