Petraeus: Condemns Torture - Such Actions Are ILLEGAL

[kpete]

THINK PROGRESS: http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/11/petraeus-condemns-torture/

Petraeus condemns torture. In an open letter yesterday, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, “admonished his troops regarding the results of an Army survey that found that many U.S military personnel there are willing to tolerate some torture of suspects and unwilling to report abuse by comrades.” From the letter:


I was concerned by the results of a recently released survey conducted last fall in Irasq that revealed an apparent unwillingness on the part of some US personnel to report illegal actions taken by fellow members of their units. The study also indicated that a small percentage of those surveyed may have mistreated noncombatants. This survey should spur reflection on our conduct in combat. …

Some may argue that we would be more effective if we sanctioned torture or other expedient methods to obtain information from the enemy. They would be wrong. Beyond the basic fact that such actions are illegal, history shows that they also are frequently neither useful nor necessary.

LETTER: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/documents/petraeus_values_051007.pdf

[tigereye]

1. it's long past time someone said this!

and Gonzales is still the AG. It's sickening.

[EstimatedProphet]

2. Really brave of him.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. not.

four long years too late.

[EstimatedProphet]

6. Exactly what I meant

Seems lately we have a run of people who are brave enough to stand up for what is right - now that they know most of the country supports what is right. Standing up against torture...that really takes a lot of courage. Is he going to campaign for milk next?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

8. I know, I was just adding spice to your post.

Milk is becoming a tough campaign issue. what with all those antibiotics, hormones, etc.

Oh, you were sarcastic again. :)

[thereismore]

4. Bravo. Petraeus knows right from wrong in combat. nt

[wtmusic]

5. He needs to confer with Gonzo and get his story straight nt

[Solly Mack]

7. That's nice - but then why doesn't he go to all the EPW camps around Iraq and

drive that point home?

Also, Bush claims America doesn't torture...however, that just isn't the reality

So yeah, torture is wrong - and saying it might give the appearance that something is being done about it...but I'm doubting that's the reality.

[leftchick]

9. BFD!

his bosses sanctioned torture six fucking years ago. What does he have to say to them? Or to this guy who set the standards at Gitmo and Abu Ghraib?