RUMSFELD MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR TORTURE

[proud2BlibKansan]

By Brett Shirk

The American Civil Liberties Union recently began initial arguments in its federal case against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

This case has created a firestorm in media and legal communities, because it marks the first time a federal court has considered whether high-ranking officials in the United States government can be held legally accountable for the torture scandals that have plagued the Bush administration.

The ACLU filed the lawsuit in March 2005 on behalf of nine civilians who were tortured while in U.S. custody. The abuse included severe and repeated beatings, cutting with knives, sexual assault, mock executions, the use of attack dogs, and restraint in contorted and excruciating positions. After their interrogations, it was determined that all nine prisoners were innocent, and they were released from custody without charge.

Supporters of former Secretary Rumsfeld insist that he should not be held accountable for dereliction of his official duty, even though he was repeatedly notified of the torture through U.S. military reports and by the International Red Cross.

Critics of the ACLU complain that suing Defense Department officials in federal courts will intrude on military authority.

These critics are incorrect in their assessment.

more . . .

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/opinion/16331041.htm

Brett Shirk is executive director of the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri. He lives in Kansas City.

[gratuitous]

1. The military has no authority

Certainly no authority to torture people and then turn them loose. Go, ACLU!

[BuyingThyme]

11. Yes, what the hell is military authority?

What page of the Constitution was that on?

[The Stranger]

2. ARREST HIM NOW

[EFerrari]

13. Yes. ARREST HIM NOW.

[Solly Mack]

3. Yes he should - and not just him

Rumsfeld is guilty ...but then so are Bush, Cheney, Rice... all the rest.

It's a good start though.

[havocmom]

6. Don't forget that rubber stamp of an enabler: A.G. Alberto Gonzales

He gave the nod to anything the junta wanted to do. His JOB is to be the Nation's legal advocate. He chooses to remain as the real acting attorney for the top people in the malAdministration and uses his position only to try and give some sort of validity to his ridiculous pronouncements of what is legal, which, not amazingly, turns out to be anything the junta wants to do.

Take the key and lock him up too.

[Solly Mack]

7. Him too...I want them all charged

[EFerrari]

15. And that embarrassment at Cal, Yu.

I want all these conspirators in shackles.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Me too

Lock em up and throw away the key.

[annabanana]

4. I agree with these Rumsfeld supporters:

"Supporters of former Secretary Rumsfeld insist that he should not be held accountable for dereliction of his official duty"

He should be held accountable for the acts themselves. I believe the evidence is there.

[deutsey]

5. Let's not bicker and argue about who tortured who...

[ninkasi]

8. He belongs in prison

Just like the rest of them. Bush, Cheney, Rice, Gonzalez, and others should all be held accountable for the criminal acts of the Bush regime. We would be remiss if we neglect to include Karl Rove in there, too.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. What a lovely dream!

[SoCalDem]

9. But wait a minute.. He got a parade, a military gun-salute and

even a MEDAL.. HIS wife EVEN GOT ONE..

How could be be accused of something so terrible..:sarcasm:

[Marr]

10. I don't see what's wrong with "intruding on military authority" when the

government seems to think it has the "authority" to illegally torture people.

I guess it all comes down to what you consider legitimate government power. And, as usual, the schizoid "small government" crowd argues that the government has absolute power.

[Hubert Flottz]

12. Maybe we shouldn't have been "intruding on military authority" of

the Nazis war criminals after WWII. Oh and don't be "intruding on military authority" of Rummy's friend Saddam either.

[Cleita]

14. Yes, he should alongside Cheney and Bush.

But it seems we have made torture legal now. So how will it be possible to bring him to trial.

[Rex]

16. That is why they are so quick in wanting to kill off Saddam.

You know it is serious if they don't offer you the Club Fed deal.

[Disturbed]

19. Further Evidence Rumsfeld Implicated in War Crimes

Further Evidence Rumsfeld Implicated in War Crimes

The Army's charges against Jordan reflect the view, undoubtedly correct, that the use of forced nudity or intimidation with dogs against detainees subject to military control constitutes cruelty and maltreatment that Article 93 makes criminal. It doesn't matter whether they are or are not "torture," as such; nor does it matter whether the armed forces should be permitted to use such interrogation techniques: As things currently stand, they are unlawful, as even the Army now acknowledges.

But then how can we account for the actions of the Secretary of Defense and his close aides?

On November 27, 2002, Pentagon General Counsel William Haynes, following discussions with Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz, General Myers, and Doug Feith, informed the Secretary of Defense that forced nudity and the use of the fear of dogs to induce stress were lawful techniques, and he recommended that they be approved for use at Guantanamo.
(The lists of techniques to which Haynes was referring can be found in this memorandum.) On December 2, 2002, Secretary Rumsfeld approved those techniques for use at Guantanamo -- and subsequently those techniques were used on detainee Mohammed al-Qahtani.

In other words, the Secretary of Defense authorized criminal conduct.

...

Today's Army charge under UCMJ Article 93 against Lt. Col. Jordan -- for conduct that the SecDef actually authorized as to some detainees -- demonstrates that Rumsfeld approved of, and encouraged, violations of the criminal law.

http://www.discourse.net/archives/2006/04/further_evidence_rumsfeld_implicated_in_war_crimes.html

[bobthedrummer]

20. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Feith, Cambone, Miller, Sanchez, Pappas,

Boykin, Franks, Hayden, Perle, Wolfowitz, Bolton, Addington, Ashcroft, Gonzalez, Ledeen, Luti, Myers, Edelman, Bremer, Negroponte, Armitage, Rice...

CACI, Titan, Blackwater, Custer Battles, SAIC, DynCorp, KBR...

All the criminals involved in the Special Access Programs/SAP's...

Kick