"Gonzales OK Could Be Seen as OK for Torture Rules"

[G_j]

(edit: changed subject line)

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0202-01.htm

Published on Wednesday, February 2, 2005 by the San Francisco Chronicle

Gonzales OK Could Be Seen as OK for Torture Rules

by Robert Collier

After a year of near-constant revelations and allegations, the controversy over the use of torture in the war on terror is reaching its crucial moment in the Senate debate over whether to confirm Alberto Gonzales as attorney general. If Gonzales is confirmed, which appears likely, the Bush administration is likely to claim that Congress has given a firm mandate for its interrogation policies, just as President Bush said his re-election victory in November was a new mandate for his policies on Iraq.

"People who wanted a public discussion of this issue of interrogation methods have had it, for almost a year now," said John Yoo, a UC Berkeley law professor who played a key role in helping craft the administration's policies on torture when he was a Justice Department official from 2001 to 2003.

"There has been debate, press leaks, hearings. Sen. (John) Kerry could have attacked President Bush on torture during the election campaign, but in fact, he tried to outflank the president on the right on terrorism. Congress could have expanded the statute on terrorism to tighten interrogation rules, but it hasn't. The election and the confirmation of Gonzales are a sign of general support of the administration's anti-terrorism policies, which include interrogation and the Patriot Act."

<snip>
"It would send the wrong signal, it would say that Abu Ghraib-style abuses are to be winked at," said Avidan Cover, a lawyer for Human Rights First, a New York legal group, referring to the Iraqi prison that sparked worldwide outrage when abuses there were revealed last May.


..more..

[atreides1]

1. And So It Begins

The descent of the United States of America into the abyss of darkness, evil and inquisitorial questioning.

This country is well on it's way to becoming what it has fought against.

Well if this is the destiny of this country, so be it.

[G_j]

2. it is sad

I'm not sure I'd call it destiny though, in this case a Dem filibuster could have blocked Gonzales.

[G_j]

3. kick

[killbotfactory]

4. Let's call him Inquizator General Gonzalez

In the fine tradition of Torquemada.

Terrorist? NO RIGHTS FOR YOU

[Az_lefty]

5. It certainly is an "OK" for torture rules.

BTW, why are the soldiers at Abu ghraib being prosecuted? It seems they were just following this administrations policies. Perhaps the photos were a little too embarrassing and they just had to hang somebody.
Don't get me wrong, what these soldiers did was outrageous and they should be held accountable, I'm just questioning why the prosecution hasn't gone all the way up the chain of command.
:shrug:

[G_j]

6. kick