Ex-Generals to Urge Obama Action on Torture Issue ("Remove the Stain")

[Hissyspit]

Source: Reuters

Ex-generals to urge Obama action on torture issue

Tue Dec 2, 2008 8:03pm EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Barack Obama should act from the moment of his inauguration to restore a U.S. image battered by allegations of torturing terrorism suspects, said a group of retired military leaders planning to press their case with the president-elect's transition team on Wednesday. We need to remove the stain, and the stain is on us, as well as on our reputation overseas," said retired Vice Adm. Lee Gunn, former Navy inspector general.

Gunn and about a dozen other retired generals and admirals, who are scheduled to meet Obama's team in Washington, said they plan to offer a list of anti-torture principles, including some that could be implemented immediately.

They include making the Army Field Manual the single standard for all U.S. interrogators. The manual requires humane treatment and forbids practices such as waterboarding -- a form of simulated drowning widely condemned as torture.

Other immediate steps Obama could take are revoking presidential orders allowing the CIA to use harsh treatment, giving the International Red Cross access to all prisoners held by intelligence agencies and declaring a moratorium on taking prisoners to a third country for harsh interrogations. "If he'd just put a couple of sentences in his inaugural address, stating the new position, then everything would flow from that," said retired Maj. Gen. Fred Haynes, whose regiment in World War Two raised the American flag on Iwo Jima.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE4B18...

[99th_Monkey]

1. I hope Obama listens to these guys, and takes their recommendation seriously. ~nt~

[Hekate]

2. KnR for military officers (and enlisted!) who still understand what honor is...

I thank them for their service to this battered but still wonderful country. We may yet regain our nation's soul, and they will have helped.

Hekate

[democrank]

3. Obama must take a strong position on this.

No torture.Ever.

[Judi Lynn]

4. The country, the world needs him to do the strong, good thing, when Bush wouldn't.

He won't have the support of the sociopaths among us, but, as _Bush has said, "Who cares what" they "think?"

It's about time someone did something decent in the President's office for a change. The word Hekate chose, "honor" is perfect.

[judasdisney]

5. They hate America. Notice they're EX-generals.

All acid sarcasm aside, I'm willing to bet they're in the minority. I have zero trust left for the military. And less than zero for their supporters.

[Fumesucker]

7. Currently serving troops are unable to speak their mind.

Not saying anything about their mentality either way, but they may not speak out without breaking regs.

Retired troops are essentially civilians and can say what they please.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

6. "Allegations of torturing"?...We KNOW Bushco supported torture. I hope Obama holds them accountable.

[Titonwan]

8. Superb.

Every little step helps in winning the "unwashed masses" (the ignorant) over to the concept of actually holding this current administration accountable.
Impeachment needs to be started in order to stop the pardoning powers. Sign Nadler's petition and bug the hell out of Nancy Pelosi. You can't win unless you play!

[wryter2000]

26. Welcome to DU

I'm with you. Superb.

[humbled_opinion]

9. WHY?

I am being cynical and Sarcastic....

After the next terror attack in America, the Conservative pundits and power brokers fully intend to rape Obama. They will say specifically that because he changed Bush policy on torture, or Survellience, or that he closed Gitmo all led to the deaths of American citzens here in the streets and schoolyards of America. They will say the lessons of 9-11 were not enforced by the government and that they warned about it and will call for impeachment and legal liability of the POTUS.

The argue over morality, humanity and our Liberty and Freedom will descend this country into the abyss of histories failed social experiments.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

10. Prosecution?

[gratuitous]

17. Well, let's not be talking crazy now

I mean, what would the world think if our star-spangled, freckle-faced, all American fightin' men and women in uniform had to answer for war crimes and crimes against humanity?

Although, if we don't prosecute, someone else surely will. Our best hope is that it will be a regularly-constituted tribunal with rules of evidence and procedure. My best guess, though, is that it will be an ad hoc self-appointed committee of folks who will operate outside any set of rules and visit wholesale retributive justice on American society. They'll almost certainly miss the guilty and hit the innocent, but none of us minds if we are hurt or killed for the crimes of the Bush administration, right?

[xxqqqzme]

24. Most assurdedly.

If the 'stain' is to be removed and reputation restored, let us see prosecution. Anything short of that is just hot air.

[Fiendish Thingy]

11. The only step that matters in the end is repealing the Military Commissions Act

Otherwise, habeas corpus and the definition of what is/is not torture are up to the whims of the President...

[MasonJar]

12. Thanls to these important voices from citizens of the world. If Obama

does not come out strongly against torture and mistreatment of prisoners, I will be very surprised and also quite angry. I think he will!

[NOW tense]

13. The only way to remove the stain

is to offer the Bush Admin. to the World for prosecution

[catnhatnh]

19. Ding Ding Ding...We have a Winner!!!

The Generals only suggest how to prevent future stains...To remove (existing) stubborn stains apply international war crimes trials, rinse, and repeat. That Sirs, is how you clean your honor.

[Dangerously Amused]

25. Absolutely. To the Hague!

[BlooInBloo]

14. Of course that's the right thing to do. I wonder where all of these eminent generals were...

when the torture program was being instituted, however.

Methinks they're just jumping on the human rights bandwagon.

[Piewhacket]

15. The stain is indelible. Change the policy, then "rendition"...

the criminals to their war crime trials.

[peace frog]

18. I like your suggestion

but it will never happen. Which is a crime in itself.

[DeepModem Mom]

16. K&R

[Bondor]

20. making it real requires prosecution

We already have such a policy on the books. If we are to make such a proclamation convincing to the rest of the world and to future presidents, then we would need to prosecute.... which BO has said he will not do.

[annabanana]

21. Then we must push for investigations that will make ALL Americans

insist that he change his mind..

[wryter2000]

27. Welcome to DU

[Joe Chi Minh]

22. K&R

[Joey Liberal]

23. This gives me hope for America nt

[LuckyLib]

28. Unfortunately, that bell has been rung. Despite what we try to do now,

there will always be suspicion and doubt. And that's just from Americans themselves.