Secret U.S. Endorsement of Severe Interrogations

[Ghost in the Machine]

Secret U.S. Endorsement of Severe Interrogations

By SCOTT SHANE, DAVID JOHNSTON and JAMES RISEN
Published: October 4, 2007

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 — When the Justice Department publicly declared torture “abhorrent” in a legal opinion in December 2004, the Bush administration appeared to have abandoned its assertion of nearly unlimited presidential authority to order brutal interrogations.

But soon after Alberto R. Gonzales’s arrival as attorney general in February 2005, the Justice Department issued another opinion, this one in secret. It was a very different document, according to officials briefed on it, an expansive endorsement of the harshest interrogation techniques ever used by the Central Intelligence Agency.

The new opinion, the officials said, for the first time provided explicit authorization to barrage terror suspects with a combination of painful physical and psychological tactics, including head-slapping, simulated drowning and frigid temperatures.

Mr. Gonzales approved the legal memorandum on “combined effects” over the objections of James B. Comey, the deputy attorney general, who was leaving his job after bruising clashes with the White House. Disagreeing with what he viewed as the opinion’s overreaching legal reasoning, Mr. Comey told colleagues at the department that they would all be “ashamed” when the world eventually learned of it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/washington/04interrogate.html?_r=3&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

[Solly Mack]

1. "Severe" Interrogations..sheesh...it's called abuse and torture

criminals hiding behind words...nothing more
and complicit enablers allowing them to do so...nothing more

[Ghost in the Machine]

2. A Better Title Would Be: "Bush Administration Endorses Torture"

The Bush Administration Endorses TORTURE!

[Solly Mack]

4. That would be the honest headline

[AuntPatsy]

29. Definately a better headline because it is definately the truth and should be talked

about since he claims to make all the decisions regarding this country's laws.

[Swamp Rat]

3. But will they ever be held accountable?

This current Congress does not instill in me much hope for the future.

[Solly Mack]

5. No. The cloaking of war crimes in the language of lies is

intentional to avoid accountability...it helps those who could hold the guilty accountable from having to do so...because they too embrace the language of lies.


Lies become - "bad intel"

If Bush got "bad intel" then he didn't lie..if Bush didn't lie then he isn't responsible and there is nothing to be held accountable for

Trumped up evidence becomes - conflicting information

If Bush got conflicting information (never mind Bush Inc planted the "erroneous" information) then Bush didn't trump up evidence to invade and if Bush didn't trump up evidence, there's nothing to be held accountable for

it all becomes "mistakes"..(see how it works?)

and if it's all just a mistake...well, everyone makes mistakes don't they?

If it all becomes "failed policy" then it's just policy gone bad and that happens under the best of conditions so really, how can anyone blame Bush?

Voila!

Free pass!

If America tortures instead of engaging in "enhanced interrogation techniques" then America is violating international treaty and federal law...but if torture is redefined then what was once torture is now just "severe" interrogation...and the deliberately manufactured confusion allows people to say "I didn't know" and "but it was legal when I did it"

Language matters...

and in my eyes, those who promote the language of lies are just as guilty as Bush Inc

[Swamp Rat]

7. Yep. Rash Limpballs is another case in point.

The fucktard is just blatantly lying now - no nuanced language necessary.

[Solly Mack]

14. Rush's technique is cruder but the same, yes

also, many Americans don't want to believe their country tortures or invades for lies and trumped up evidence, so they are eager to embrace the language of lies as well

and even some people believe it but would rather allow them to get away with the crimes than to expose the full picture...primarily because they would then have to answer for their inactions.

and some people are willing to allow them to get away with their crimes as long as they can feel better about their country again(out of sight, out of mind, time heals all wounds, "heal the country")...no matter how much damage is caused by allowing the guilty to walk free

[Swamp Rat]

18. "I can't happen here"

History repeats itself again and again.

Goebbels would be proud of his refucklican offspring.

[Solly Mack]

19. I tend to think Goebbels would be envious

[malaise]

9. Well said

I hope these men pay

[Solly Mack]

17. That is my hope as well. I just don't see it happening

[Ghost in the Machine]

6. Umm, Congress *has* acted. Remember the "harshly worded" letters?

Jeez Swamprat, where ya been, man? :rofl:

:hi:

[Swamp Rat]

8. Busy

:hi:

I had a major midterm exam last night, and a whole lotta work to do today. Maybe I'll sleep for an hour or two beforehand. :boring:

Maybe not. :hangover:

[malaise]

10. Hope you aced it

:hi:

[Swamp Rat]

12. Oi malaise!

abraço :hug:

[malaise]

24. Back at you my brother

:D

[Ghost in the Machine]

13. Good luck.. and get some rest, my friend...

[Swamp Rat]

16. I dig the pic!

:applause:

I never seem to get enough sleep because I don't have any free time to come here. I have to sacrifice sleep... which is what I have been doing for the last few years.

[Ghost in the Machine]

22. Thanks! My first thought when I saw it was: "What a huckster!"

Rest will come for us one day, once this nightmare is over... it's still a long battle until next year's elections. We've got to do what we can to get a Dem in the White House. If a Dem wins, my biggest worry is what will happen between Nov '08 & Jan '09. What will this criminal junta try to pull?

We're in very unstable times right now as a nation. People need to wake up...

[Solly Mack]

15. You don't sleep...you rat nap :)

[Swamp Rat]

20. ok

I'll try to sleep for a couple of hours.

I wish I was in Madrid right now. It's time for churros y chocolate! :9



¡Me faltan MUCHO! :cry: :9

[Solly Mack]

21. Sweet velvety dreams of scrumptious delights!!

[leftchick]

11. IT IS TORTURE!

MFers can't even use the right term. :grr:

[Ghost in the Machine]

25. Too much "political correctness" in the world today... n/t

[annabanana]

23. parsing torture (from the article)

Interrogators were worried that even approved techniques had such a painful, multiplying effect when combined that they might cross the legal line, Mr. Kelbaugh said. He recalled agency officers asking: "These approved techniques, say, withholding food, and 50-degree temperature — can they be combined?" Or "Do I have to do the less extreme before the more extreme?"

To "define" torture is to condone torture. If specific techniques are specifically banned, it stands to reason that others are allowed. Since there is no limit on the human imagination and the human capacity to inflict pain.. ALL TORTURE, UNDER ANY NAME, MUST BE PROHIBITED.

[Ghost in the Machine]

26. a rose by any other name.....

:hi: annabanana

[emilyg]

27. Kick

[Solly Mack]

28. kick

it ain't going away