Bybee defends his torture memos as ‘legally correct’ and ‘a good-faith analysis of the law.’

[ProSense]

Bybee defends his torture memos as ‘legally correct’ and ‘a good-faith analysis of the law.’

Judge Jay Bybee finally "broke his silence" and talked to the New York Times about his legal memos which authorized torture. This past weekend, the Washington Post quoted anonymous friends of Bybee claiming that Bybee was apologetic for authoring the memos. Speaking for himself, Bybee said that's not the case:

(H)e said: “The central question for lawyers was a narrow one; locate, under the statutory definition, the thin line between harsh treatment of a high-ranking Al Qaeda terrorist that is not torture and harsh treatment that is. I believed at the time, and continue to believe today, that the conclusions were legally correct.”

Other administration lawyers agreed with those conclusions, Judge Bybee said.

“The legal question was and is difficult,” he said. “And the stakes for the country were significant no matter what our opinion. In that context, we gave our best, honest advice, based on our good-faith analysis of the law.”

Bybee, "the man behind waterboarding," once said that he would like his "headstone to read, 'He always tried to do the right thing.'" The right thing would be for him to resign. If he does not do so, Congress should impeach him.

more

"This bad faith analysis runs through the latest batch of torture memos."

CIA inspector general in 2004 found "no proof harsh techniques stopped terror attacks"

They tortured to justify Iraq war

Why We Must Prosecute

[BlooInBloo]

1. That's even worse. Anyone who would DEFEND them DEFINITELY has to go.

[ProSense]

2. Bybee is a

ticking timebomb/war criminal.

[Duer 157099]

3. He's an enabler. Those are Yoo's memos

Bybee just signed off on them.

I can't believe he continues to stand by them. Reprobate.

[northofdenali]

4. Include this bastard in the war crimes prosecutions.

They WILL come.

[Supersedeas]

5. Ultra Conservative Jack Goldsmith did a good faith analysis of Bybee's memo--AND it didn't pass the

smell test....much less meet the standards of Bybee's pay grade at the time.

POINT OF EMPHASIS: he continues "to believe today, that the conclusions are legally correct."!!!???

The entire analysis was based on the fact that GENEVA does not apply. The SCt has now, since the decision in Hamdan up to TODAY, made clear that GENEVA does apply.

And the Reskank Judge is saying that he would right/authorize/enable torture with artful memos then and would continue to enable torture today -- DESPITE the SCt's recent rulings. GAWD, what an ASS!!