Bush White House-approved interrogation techniques amounted to "war crimes."

Mustang

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Jan 15, 2010
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Who's surprised?

Everyone knew that the Bush administration engaged in torture...despite the denials. Even the administration's 'tortured logic' (no pun intended) about detainees not being prisoners of war (and therefore not subject to the Geneva Convention's restrictions on torture), and John Yoo's memo's outlining why 'enhanced interrogation techniques' didn't violate the US Constitution, US treaties, and US laws did nothing more than make a mockery of our laws and stated ideals by simply attempting to rationalized (and legalize) illegality. I think that the Bush administration's attempts to destroy all copies of Zelikow's memo is acknowledgement enough of that fact.

Let the conservative apologists begin their usual spin. Then when they're done doing that, they can again start up with their argument that President Obama is a thug.

WASHINGTON -- A six-year-old memo from within the George W. Bush administration that came to light this week acknowledges that White House-approved interrogation techniques amounted to "war crimes." The memo's release has called attention to what has changed since President Barack Obama took office, but it also raises questions about what hasn't.


The Bush White House tried to destroy every copy of the memo, written by then-State Department counselor Philip Zelikow. Zelikow examined tactics like waterboarding -- which simulates drowning -- and concluded that there was no way they were legal, domestically or internationally.


“We are unaware of any precedent in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or any subsequent conflict for authorized, systematic interrogation practices similar to those in question here," Zelikow wrote.



The memo has been obtained by George Washington University's National Security Archive and Wired's Spencer Ackerman.
On his second full day in office, President Barack Obama formally disavowed torture, banning the types of techniques Zelikow had objected to so strongly in his memo.

New Bush-Era Torture Memo Released, Raises Questions About What Has Changed And What Hasn't
 
Terrorists have no rights. When facing an unconventional enemy we need to do what we have to do to gain any and all information necessary to protect our nation,interests,and people.
I support interring any and all that pose a threat,and once guilt and information extracted,then kill those people. Send them back to their allah,and then they can fuck their 72 virgins all they like.
 
Terrorists have no rights. When facing an unconventional enemy we need to do what we have to do to gain any and all information necessary to protect our nation,interests,and people.
I support interring any and all that pose a threat,and once guilt and information extracted,then kill those people. Send them back to their allah,and then they can fuck their 72 virgins all they like.

I think you might just be a terrorist, therefore you have no rights. See how that works? It's simple. It doesn't require any proof. It doesn't require evidence, or due process, or even a trial.
 
Im not saying dont do it without proof,but once proven,by intelligence,we must,regardless whos in office,to eliminate these threats.
 
Everyone knew that the Bush administration engaged in torture...despite the denials. Even the administration's 'tortured logic' (no pun intended) about detainees not being prisoners of war (and therefore not subject to the Geneva Convention's restrictions on torture), and John Yoo's memo's outlining why 'enhanced interrogation techniques' didn't violate the US Constitution, US treaties, and US laws did nothing more than make a mockery of our laws and stated ideals by simply attempting to rationalized (and legalize) illegality. I think that the Bush administration's attempts to destroy all copies of Zelikow's memo is acknowledgement enough of that fact.
This is illustrative of conservatives’ contempt for the rule of law, where ‘the ends justify the means,’ as practiced by GWB, his father before him, Reagan before that, and ultimately Nixon.

And a future republican administration will be just as likely to engage in the same illegal practices, using the same justification.
 
Who's surprised?

Everyone knew that the Bush administration engaged in torture...despite the denials. Even the administration's 'tortured logic' (no pun intended) about detainees not being prisoners of war (and therefore not subject to the Geneva Convention's restrictions on torture), and John Yoo's memo's outlining why 'enhanced interrogation techniques' didn't violate the US Constitution, US treaties, and US laws did nothing more than make a mockery of our laws and stated ideals by simply attempting to rationalized (and legalize) illegality. I think that the Bush administration's attempts to destroy all copies of Zelikow's memo is acknowledgement enough of that fact.

Let the conservative apologists begin their usual spin. Then when they're done doing that, they can again start up with their argument that President Obama is a thug.

WASHINGTON -- A six-year-old memo from within the George W. Bush administration that came to light this week acknowledges that White House-approved interrogation techniques amounted to "war crimes." The memo's release has called attention to what has changed since President Barack Obama took office, but it also raises questions about what hasn't.


The Bush White House tried to destroy every copy of the memo, written by then-State Department counselor Philip Zelikow. Zelikow examined tactics like waterboarding -- which simulates drowning -- and concluded that there was no way they were legal, domestically or internationally.


“We are unaware of any precedent in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or any subsequent conflict for authorized, systematic interrogation practices similar to those in question here," Zelikow wrote.



The memo has been obtained by George Washington University's National Security Archive and Wired's Spencer Ackerman.
On his second full day in office, President Barack Obama formally disavowed torture, banning the types of techniques Zelikow had objected to so strongly in his memo.

New Bush-Era Torture Memo Released, Raises Questions About What Has Changed And What Hasn't

"Everyone knew that the Bush administration engaged in torture...despite the denials."

Your conjecture is patently false, as shown by the following exchange:


" [Rep. Dan] Lungren [(R., CA) and the state's former attorney general] then switched gears to a line of questioning aimed at clarifying the Obama Justice Department’s definition of torture. In one of the rare times he gave a straight answer, Holder stated at the hearing that in his view waterboarding is torture. Lundgren asked if it was the Justice Department’s position that Navy SEALS subjected to waterboarding as part of their training were being tortured.

Holder: No, it’s not torture in the legal sense because you’re not doing it with the intention of harming these people physically or mentally, all we’re trying to do is train them —

Lungren: So it’s the question of intent?"
Eric Holder: Waterboarding is not torture
 
At one point,after 9/11,if you think im extreme now,i supported interrment camps for anyone even closely associated with these groups.
 
At one point,after 9/11,if you think im extreme now,i supported interrment camps for anyone even closely associated with these groups.

well duh. its pretty obvious you support totalitarian authority over your life. thankfully, you have people like me who don't.
 
Everyone knew that the Bush administration engaged in torture...despite the denials. Even the administration's 'tortured logic' (no pun intended) about detainees not being prisoners of war (and therefore not subject to the Geneva Convention's restrictions on torture), and John Yoo's memo's outlining why 'enhanced interrogation techniques' didn't violate the US Constitution, US treaties, and US laws did nothing more than make a mockery of our laws and stated ideals by simply attempting to rationalized (and legalize) illegality. I think that the Bush administration's attempts to destroy all copies of Zelikow's memo is acknowledgement enough of that fact.
This is illustrative of conservatives’ contempt for the rule of law, where ‘the ends justify the means,’ as practiced by GWB, his father before him, Reagan before that, and ultimately Nixon.

And a future republican administration will be just as likely to engage in the same illegal practices, using the same justification.

Yup.. They're no different than the damned Democrats. :evil:
 
Who's surprised?

Everyone knew that the Bush administration engaged in torture...despite the denials. Even the administration's 'tortured logic' (no pun intended) about detainees not being prisoners of war (and therefore not subject to the Geneva Convention's restrictions on torture), and John Yoo's memo's outlining why 'enhanced interrogation techniques' didn't violate the US Constitution, US treaties, and US laws did nothing more than make a mockery of our laws and stated ideals by simply attempting to rationalized (and legalize) illegality. I think that the Bush administration's attempts to destroy all copies of Zelikow's memo is acknowledgement enough of that fact.

Let the conservative apologists begin their usual spin. Then when they're done doing that, they can again start up with their argument that President Obama is a thug.

WASHINGTON -- A six-year-old memo from within the George W. Bush administration that came to light this week acknowledges that White House-approved interrogation techniques amounted to "war crimes." The memo's release has called attention to what has changed since President Barack Obama took office, but it also raises questions about what hasn't.


The Bush White House tried to destroy every copy of the memo, written by then-State Department counselor Philip Zelikow. Zelikow examined tactics like waterboarding -- which simulates drowning -- and concluded that there was no way they were legal, domestically or internationally.


“We are unaware of any precedent in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or any subsequent conflict for authorized, systematic interrogation practices similar to those in question here," Zelikow wrote.



The memo has been obtained by George Washington University's National Security Archive and Wired's Spencer Ackerman.
On his second full day in office, President Barack Obama formally disavowed torture, banning the types of techniques Zelikow had objected to so strongly in his memo.

New Bush-Era Torture Memo Released, Raises Questions About What Has Changed And What Hasn't

"Everyone knew that the Bush administration engaged in torture...despite the denials."

Your conjecture is patently false, as shown by the following exchange:



" [Rep. Dan] Lungren [(R., CA) and the state's former attorney general] then switched gears to a line of questioning aimed at clarifying the Obama Justice Department’s definition of torture. In one of the rare times he gave a straight answer, Holder stated at the hearing that in his view waterboarding is torture. Lundgren asked if it was the Justice Department’s position that Navy SEALS subjected to waterboarding as part of their training were being tortured.

Holder: No, it’s not torture in the legal sense because you’re not doing it with the intention of harming these people physically or mentally, all we’re trying to do is train them —

Lungren: So it’s the question of intent?"
Eric Holder: Waterboarding is not torture

Au contraire.

I remember Bush answering a question about torture and whether (or not) America was torturing suspected al Qaeda members etc.

With a smirk and a funny look on his face, Bush denied that America tortured/tortures anyone. Despite the fact that all politicians lie (about a number of things, both big and small), and the fact that politicians have years of practicing the art of being less than forthcoming (or even honest, for that matter), it was obvious to me that Bush was lying. I'm quite sure it was obvious to anyone else watching, as well. I don't say that as a person who routinely thought Bush was lying. Like most politicians, Bush was good at being evasive and not answering questions directly. This was one time when the question was direct (I think it was a hot topic at the time), and Bush directly answered it. Frankly, I can't believe that anyone who watched that exchange could reach any other conclusion because it was simply so glaringly obvious.
 
Who's surprised?

Everyone knew that the Bush administration engaged in torture...despite the denials. Even the administration's 'tortured logic' (no pun intended) about detainees not being prisoners of war (and therefore not subject to the Geneva Convention's restrictions on torture), and John Yoo's memo's outlining why 'enhanced interrogation techniques' didn't violate the US Constitution, US treaties, and US laws did nothing more than make a mockery of our laws and stated ideals by simply attempting to rationalized (and legalize) illegality. I think that the Bush administration's attempts to destroy all copies of Zelikow's memo is acknowledgement enough of that fact.

Let the conservative apologists begin their usual spin. Then when they're done doing that, they can again start up with their argument that President Obama is a thug.

WASHINGTON -- A six-year-old memo from within the George W. Bush administration that came to light this week acknowledges that White House-approved interrogation techniques amounted to "war crimes." The memo's release has called attention to what has changed since President Barack Obama took office, but it also raises questions about what hasn't.


The Bush White House tried to destroy every copy of the memo, written by then-State Department counselor Philip Zelikow. Zelikow examined tactics like waterboarding -- which simulates drowning -- and concluded that there was no way they were legal, domestically or internationally.


“We are unaware of any precedent in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or any subsequent conflict for authorized, systematic interrogation practices similar to those in question here," Zelikow wrote.



The memo has been obtained by George Washington University's National Security Archive and Wired's Spencer Ackerman.
On his second full day in office, President Barack Obama formally disavowed torture, banning the types of techniques Zelikow had objected to so strongly in his memo.

New Bush-Era Torture Memo Released, Raises Questions About What Has Changed And What Hasn't

Water boarding has been declared legal by the executive branch attorneys.

We even train our armed forces with the technique. You get to see what its like.

Now we dont torture our men and women, so the terrorist couldnt have been tortured either.
 

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