Stain On The Nation: Newly Released Bush-Era Memo Raises Questions

[Lakhota]

By Dan Froomkin

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.

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

The Memo: The Zelikow Memo: Internal Critique of Bush Torture Memos Declassified

 

[bucs90]

Whew! Thank God our savior Barack Obama closed Gitmo.


Oh..........shit. Nevermind.

 

[bucs90]

SO is the US military torturing recruits in special units of the Navy, Army, Marines and Air Force? Because many of the training schools some units go through includes water boarding. Is our Commander in Chief allowing US service members to be TORTURED in training? Surely not, right? Obama would never allow that, not as Commander in Chief. Except.....he is allowing it.

 

[Sallow]

SO is the US military torturing recruits in special units of the Navy, Army, Marines and Air Force? Because many of the training schools some units go through includes water boarding. Is our Commander in Chief allowing US service members to be TORTURED in training? Surely not, right? Obama would never allow that, not as Commander in Chief. Except.....he is allowing it.

The difference being that SERE training is completely voluntary. Surely you knew that..right?

 

[Sallow]

Whew! Thank God our savior Barack Obama closed Gitmo.


Oh..........shit. Nevermind.

The President isn't a King and Republicans wouldn't allow the closure.

 

[bucs90]

Whew! Thank God our savior Barack Obama closed Gitmo.


Oh..........shit. Nevermind.

The President isn't a King and Republicans wouldn't allow the closure.

Republicans COULDNT STOP the closure between January 1 2009 and January 1 2011. During that time, Dems held the Presidency, House and Senate. And they did not close it. Can't blame GOP when Dems had control of 3 out of 3.

And sir, speak of Mr. Obama with a bit of respect. He isn't a king.....yet!

 

[bucs90]

SO is the US military torturing recruits in special units of the Navy, Army, Marines and Air Force? Because many of the training schools some units go through includes water boarding. Is our Commander in Chief allowing US service members to be TORTURED in training? Surely not, right? Obama would never allow that, not as Commander in Chief. Except.....he is allowing it.

The difference being that SERE training is completely voluntary. Surely you knew that..right?

It's not voluntary if they want to pass and get the job they are seeking.

So....the question remains, IS our Commander in Chief allowing TORTURE to be a mandatory passage for military members seeking a particular job? Is thise the Soviet Union or North Korea or something? TORTURE being a mandatory passage in seeking a particular job in the military? Is Barack Obama going to keep allowing this torture to continue? Submit to the torture or you dont get the job? Coerced into torture???? Our troops deserve better....right? Mr. Commander in Chief???