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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBeowulf42
(208 posts)We are making a huge mistake by turning a blind eye to the torture perpetrated by the CIA and G.W. Bush and Dick Cheney. We make it so much easier for enemies to recruit willing agents to their causes. We need to return to our principles and become leaders for good in our pursuit of greatness.
90-percent
(6,834 posts)It's only a huge mistake if you think the POWERS THAT BE that actually run America have any interest what so ever in maintaining the USA as a Democratic Republic as envisioned by the founding fathers and maintained thusly from 1776 to around 1980 or so.
The utter dismantling of our Democracy began in earnest on September 11, 2001. That's when the PTB's decided it was all clear to turn the USA into a totalitarian fascist police state.
They rolled out THE PATRIOT ACT and signed it into law in less than EIGHT WEEKS after 9-11 happened! Our Fascists have foresight, don't they?
Do any DU mates know of any source that can provide an accurate inventory of how many of our Constitutional Rights have been nullified since 9-11? It's a damn shame we've lost so many of them, considering the millions of servicemen we lost in all those Wars that died defending the American Way of Life. Their service was all for naught. We gave away everything they sacrificed for so the PTB's could "keep us safe". I only wish the PTB's were equally earnest keeping us safe from cancer, heart disease, suicide, murder, auto accidents, and all the other deadly hazards out there that kill 2.5 million American's per year. (We're all going to die someday. My point is there's natural causes of death and preventable causes of death. If a lot of mortality in America is preventable, then why isn't our HELL-BENT-ON-KEEPING-US-ALL-SAFE Government also do something to bring that number down by means other than warrentless wiretapping or a militarized police force?)
And while I'm ranting, a little item that has slipped down the memory hole. To this day, I contend that only perhaps .1% of all Americans even know that GWB was business partners with one of Osama's older brothers?
http://www.bollyn.com/the-family-ties-between-bush-and-bin-laden-2
To be fair to GWB, Osama and Salem's dad had a lot of wives and produced a lot more siblings for Osama than usual, so that increases the probability that any of us would associate with Bin Laden family members. And the Bin Laden family that found themselves in the USA immediately after 9-11 were the only people in the United States allowed to use U.S. airspace in the days immediately following 9-11. I want to know who in our government made that happen and why did they do it?
-90% Jimmy
Octafish
(55,745 posts)Poppy Bush and bin Laden brother were at the same Carlyle Group meeting on September 11.
Bin Ladens soon thereafter "liquidated" their holdings.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/26/business/bin-laden-family-liquidates-holdings-with-carlyle-group.html
The late, senior bin Laden brother financially backed Smirko Bush.
http://inthesetimes.com/issue/25/25/feature3.shtml
BTW: Carlyle Group today also owns Booz Allen Hamilton, NSA's go-to contractor.
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/crime/item/15696-behind-the-curtain-booz-allen-hamilton-and-its-owner-the-carlyle-group
Small world.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)truedelphi
(32,324 posts)I second the notion of making it an OP.
ronnie624
(5,764 posts)The minuscule threat from terrorism, in no way, justifies the massive overreaction in the form of the so called Global War on Terror. When one considers the numbers, it should be plainly obvious that the GWOT is a pretext for something else. The expense of resources and the wholesale loss of civil liberties cannot possibly be justified. The "war on terror" is also a major distraction from attempts to mitigate the truly threatening issues, like the damage we are doing to our biosphere and the impending climate disaster that will result from global warming. The best way to reduce the (small) threat from terrorism, is through an honest examination of our government's conduct in the world and how it affects people of the countries we target for intervention.
SomethingFishy
(4,876 posts)yeah...
R. Daneel Olivaw
(12,606 posts)It might make for lively conversation.
obxhead
(8,434 posts)That forum is for endless praise and worship only.
RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)I can't believe you people posting such things about our president?!! <grin>
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1102&pid=27272
OnyxCollie
(9,958 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)They know in their hearts that torture is horrible and illegal and yet the President is soft-selling it. It's very hard to rationalize the President's stand on torture.
I am surprised you are still allowed to post there.
R. Daneel Olivaw
(12,606 posts)Young children really can't deal with finding out there's no Santa.
OnyxCollie
(9,958 posts)This would do it.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)I dare you to put this pudding in that funny looking kids hair!
R. Daneel Olivaw
(12,606 posts)Others who can't handle it consider it sh!t stirring.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)encouraging someone to do something you strongly suspect will stir upsh!t is sh!t stirring.
R. Daneel Olivaw
(12,606 posts)MissDeeds
(7,499 posts)And so shameful
K&R
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Rhythm
(5,435 posts)That's one of the few things i miss about my former hometown...
The Charlotte Observer's astute editorial cartoonists
Doug Marlette when i was a kid (RIP), then Siers since then...
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)libodem
(19,288 posts)He knew. He knows.
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)lark
(23,191 posts)Disgusting. He also did nothing to remove the bad apples (Bush imbeds) at any agency and violates our privacy even more thoroughly than the Bush admin. Why didn't he go after the traitorous torturers at CIA, even if he left Shrub and the master of evil alone? He just ensured that this will happen again, so his pronouncements of "we don't torture" are lies.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)That is exactly what has been accomplished, very deliberately. We had a PR banning of "some" types of torture only, while renditions continue with no real accountability whatsoever. He has made it explicitly clear that those who *do* torture will never be prosecuted.
Rape and breaking of bones as deliberate American policy to extract false confessions to dupe Americans into supporting the neocons' (and now neolibs') perpetual war.
This is how far into the moral sewer the United States of America has been dragged by these criminals:
Time to repost this by William Pitt: Refresher Course on PNAC
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025518146
Refresher Course in PNAC: This was planned a long time ago.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025518146
Only two countries remain on the PNAC agenda: Syria and Iran ...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023540654
Report shows torture program deliberately used to extract false confessions to propagandize Americans to support War agenda
Is the Media Focusing on the Wrong Senate Torture Report?http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025959095
Obama Administration Presses on Two Fronts to Prevent Disclosure of the Panetta Report & Durham Memo
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025949936
Obama did not ban torture and now makes sure there is no real accountability.
"The LEFT needs to realize that TORTURE is OVER"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025952831
What Is Obama Doing At Bagram? (Part One): Torture Under the Obama Administration
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x540433
Target of Obama-era rendition alleges torture
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6277906
(original discussion missing)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/11/target-of-obama-era-rendi_n_256499.html
Pres. Obama Never Rescinded Bush Memo On Torture- Still Part of Military Interrogation Doctrine
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025347198
Obama Justice Department indicts ex-CIA agent for exposing torture
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002528908
Obama has stated flat out the USA does not Torture, BUT does it ...
(original discussion missing)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8817920
Obama's Torture Problem (Cover-up of torture at Guantanamo and CIA black sites)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9640662
(original discussion missing)
http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2010/nov/18/obamas-torture-problem/
Fellow Nobel Peace Laureates to Obama: Stain of US Torture Your Job to Repair
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025722026
Obama's Torture Bind (Torture, CIA "black sites"
(original discussion missing)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5454518
The ACLU on Obama and Core Liberties
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2069714
(original discussion missing)
http://www.salon.com/2011/09/07/liberties_3/
Note how many of these discussions are now missing from DU. I had to go looking for many of the original sources online. This is why it's important to title articles with the actual titles of the sources...
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)Who would have thought it?
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)enforcement abuses. I know you are a centrist but you need to think this through. As above, so below. If the top of the law enforcement chain, Federal agencies, are given impunity to rape and to torture then you are simply commanding that there be more abuse by local authorities carried out with impunity.
Anyone who actually gives a fuck about racist cops or fixed courts should be furious about the program of systemic torture and the manipulation of the laws and courts.
Pretending that it is possible to run or to excuse a torture program and also maintain excellent and justice minded policing and court systems is going to help make more widows and weeping mothers.
I think your position on this is the wrong one. Insanely wrong.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)I am a Black man that objects to the phrases and slogan associated racial injustice being coopted by those that wish to make some "larger more relevant" but non-racial point. And I'm pretty certain that if these were iconic phrases/slogans associated with the lgbt community, you would be the first to state your objection (and I would support you in doing that).
And I am ... But what does one have to do with the other?
That's fine.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)We do get mentioned a lot around here mostly negative comments.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)or the fact that the torture was carried out deliberately to extract false confessions to dupe and propagandize Americans into supporting these wars.
Huge K&R
duhneece
(4,125 posts)Amen, Amen, Amen....
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)One either supports the idea of using torture or one doesn't. No fence setting allowed on this issue.
truedelphi
(32,324 posts)seen to it that his agents help arrest many people for torturing their bodies with the evil ganga, and this proves my case:
http://my.firedoglake.com/elisemattu/2012/09/26/santa-rosa-calif-gets-hit-by-gestapo-today-092612/
Some here would say that cannabis has no side effects, but Holder would tell you otherwise. The product has proven to make people:
1) Sleepy
2) Happy
3) Hungry
Who knows exactly how many terrorist raids on refrigerators across the nation that the Holder regime has prevented!
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)Sadly, the artist is only diluting both issues by creating parallels between them, IMO
heaven05
(18,124 posts)and said the politically expedient thing to short out the RW outrage and accusations of terrorist coddling and give some on the LW a reason to hate. So what. He's a politician and he's my politician. Don't like ll he's done but love everything he's done for we the people. Haters will hate. The Obama haters on this site have done more to make me just keep on appreciating my President more and more. Keep hating, I WILL keep appreciating more and more.