DOJ giving interrogators room to breach international law.

[cal04]

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/26/doj-giving-interrogators-room-to-breach-international-law/

The New York Times reports that recent letters from the Justice Department state that “American intelligence operatives attempting to thwart terrorist attacks can legally use interrogation methods that might otherwise be prohibited under international law, specifically, the Geneva Conventions:

While the Geneva Conventions prohibit “outrages upon personal dignity,” a letter sent by the Justice Department to Congress on March 5 makes clear that the administration has not drawn a precise line in deciding which interrogation methods would violate that standard, and is reserving the right to make case-by-case judgments.

“The fact that an act is undertaken to prevent a threatened terrorist attack, rather than for the purpose of humiliation or abuse, would be relevant to a reasonable observer in measuring the outrageousness of the act,” said Brian A. Benczkowski, a deputy assistant attorney general, in the letter, which had not previously been made public.

“What they are saying is that if my intent is to defend the United States rather than to humiliate you, than I have not committed an offense,” said Scott L. Silliman of Duke University.

Letters Give C.I.A. Tactics a Legal Rationale
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/washington/27intel.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1209260866-uFzpdfaS/zCF6pIbHNBXyA

[L. Coyote]

1. ASTOUNDING "otherwise be prohibited under international law"

History will never forget!!

[williesgirl]

2. And the war crimes continue.... rec'd

[Supersedeas]

3. drip drip drip and nothing substantive from the major media accomplices to date