'Torture' memo needs to be explained

[struggle4progress]

We're not necessarily opposed to the nomination of White House counsel Alberto Gonzales to be the next Attorney General of the United States just because he's another diehard conservative. But Gonzales' questionable memorandum apparently sanctioning use of some forms of prisoner "torture" needs some serious explaining by the nominee.

That memo, drawn up in August 2002 while Gonzales was serving as the president's official legal mouthpiece, is said to be the smoking gun that directly led to the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in Iraq. While the story is something that drives the true believers of this administration crazier (they'd rather blame The New York Times for all the troubles caused by the diligent reporting of this story), the fact remains that this episode was one of the more hideous events in American history.

Also, as it turns out, Abu Ghraib may only be the tip of the iceberg. Lawsuits filed by American human rights groups have now resulted in the release of thousands of other pages of documents revealing additional allegations of brutality and mistreatment of prisoners. <snip>

http://www.mlive.com/news/muchronicle/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1105022711260940.xml

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Gonzales's nomination gives the impression

that America has decided that torture is fine. Just another reason for the rest of the world to shun us.