Instead of having an open debate on what the course of action our country should take in regard to those accused of violating the constitution , Geneva convention, and the common laws of humanity; the republican party decided to release a fear mongering video asking if Americans” feel safer” under the Barack Obama administration. The ad showed the president shaking hands with Chavez, bowing down to the Arabian king, and bits and pieces from Sean Hannity’s ‘nightly laundry list of propaganda.
Yesterday, Condoleezza Rice told a student that she never personally ordered torture but she used the old Nixon adage “if the president does it, then it’s legal” excuse. I imagine that cell phone clip will be used by a commission or court. She does not have to be a lawyer to know that water boarding is torture and by signing onto the Geneva Convention the United States has a lawful obligation to prosecute those that ordered or participated in torture…Ms Rice placed the blame on the administration.
The Bush administration held terrorist Ali Saleh Kahlah al- Marri in a navy brig without charges or corporation for nearly six years. Yesterday, he plead guilty in the Federal Court, in Peoria Illinois. Only proves that our conventional methods work. It was great that Mr. Marri was detained but he had valuable information that was not known until yesterday. The plea agreement will help us convict other detainees we have in custody. Atty. General Eric holder said “this reflects what we can achieve when we have faith in our criminal justice system and are unwavering in our commitment to the values upon which the nation was founded and the rule of law.”
Right wing republicans, pundits, blogs, and posters had tried to redefine the meaning of torture, place the blame on Nancy Pelosi, and those that believe in the rule of law, separation of powers, the Geneva convention, and accountability; instead of facing up to the truth, and help find a reasonable path forward.
As expected Charles Graner and Lynndie England, who were both made famous for applying the Bush administration's torture techniques to prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, are pleading their case to the media and preparing appeals.
From the Washington Post:
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60 Minutes had a report on Sunday about the Bush Administration allowing Saudi Arabia to come in to Abu Ghraib and remove some Saudi citizens and take them home on their own aircraft, being attended to by their own physicians. The report also said a number of those former detainess are back on the Terrorist watch list.
I guess protecting US citizens from acts of terrorism isn't the most important thing to all of the presidents.
May 6, 2009 at 2:58 p.m.Hello Rollingstone
My blog was not about what Mike thinks.
I applaud the previous administration for arresting al-Marri (perhaps lives were saved) but the current justice system got the information they needed through the use of our courts.Mr. Al-Marri was in the country legally; so he should have been convicted and prosecuted a long time ago.
We now know that the Bush administration were inquiring about water boarding way back in 2001 ,before we even had any detainees and they experiment with $1000 a day retired military psychologists as interrogators that could not speak Arabic ;instead of the professional interrogators. I will go out on a limb and say most Americans are not that upset about the methods that were used but more about the arrogance and incompetence the past administration continues to show.
We may not have the stomach to prosecute but we have to investigate, so twenty years from now, an ambitious lawyer cannot point to this era and say the Bush Administration (or Clinton) violated the Geneva Convention and got away with it.
May 2, 2009 at 10:18 a.m.And oh yeah, nothing like waiting six years for some "valuable" timely information. I guess he knew nothing of an imminent attack, or did he? Isn't detaining someone for six years without a trial a violation of his human rights? Could that be considered a form of torture? We need to investigate this don't you think, Mike?
May 1, 2009 at 7:28 p.m.I hope they are also going to investigate Clinton who approved the rendition and torture of kidnapped suspected terrorists - fair and balanced, right Mike!
May 1, 2009 at 5:53 p.m.