Rosa Brooks: Our Torturer-in-Chief

[im10ashus]

WE DON'T torture detainees, President Bush has repeatedly insisted; we just make use of lawful "alternative procedures" of interrogation.

But if everything we've done is lawful, why is the White House suddenly so desperate to get a deal with Congress that would "clarify" Common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention and amend the War Crimes Act, which criminalizes violations of the article?

According to Bush, the problem is that Common Article 3, which prohibits "cruel," "humiliating" and "degrading treatment" and "outrages upon personal dignity," is vague. He claims it doesn't give "clear" guidance about what is permitted and what is prohibited during interrogations.

That's not what Bush is actually worried about, though. His real problem is precisely the opposite — Common Article 3 and the War Crimes Act aren't nearly vague enough. If called on to determine whether several of the administration's "alternative" techniques violate Common Article 3 — and thus the War Crimes Act — virtually any court in the land would agree that they do.

Cont'd...

[im10ashus]

1. Thanks to whomever recommended.

:hi:

This is a great article. Especially true is this statement:

Today, the chickens are coming home to roost. But though the word "accountability" isn't in the White House dictionary, there's a long entry under "CYA — covering your ass."

[im10ashus]

2. Kicking!

:hi:

[immoderate]

3. Kick

--IMM

[slipslidingaway]

4. K&R, hard to argue the common sense in this article. n/t

[im10ashus]

6. Covering his own ass has become a full time job.

Time for accountability.

[TahitiNut]

5. We should DEMAND that he undergo 30 days of such treatment himself.

Fuck all his bullshit rhetoric! Have him submit himself to such 'interrogation' himself.

[SammyWinstonJack]

7. k & r