Why does the world feel more like an episode of Babylon Five?
Sure, it's quite likely that the US government has been torturing prisoners in the last while. I wouldn't be shocked if every country has done it. But George Bush has repeated many times, that the US doesn't torture prisoners. Amnesty International disagrees, but who are they?
Well, they don't have to worry about that any more.
Nope, it's now legal to torture prisoners. It's now legal to hold prisoners, and not even tell them why they're being held. You see, last spring, the US supreme court said that the Military commissions the US was using in Guantanamo Bay were Illegal under American and international law. What's a poor president to do?
Simple, you change the law. Now, thanks to Congress, the President can determine the things that interrogators can legally use. If that isn't enough to disturb you, the law provides for immunity for any CIA members who interrogated prisoners since 9/11. Yes, Bush can now declare, retroactively, that interrogation methods used were legal. This also means that, if anyone wants to suggest that Bush approved torture methods, he can just say, "It's ok, it's not illegal anymore!"
Yes, now George Bush is one step closer to being King George.
And what of the Geneva Convention? Well, Bush wanted Congress to say it didn't apply anymore, but those pesky Congress members didn't let him. Instead he can decide how to interpret this vague set of rules called the Geneva Convention. Darn that vague Geneva Convention.
Where is the US going with this?
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5 comments:
He can't be King George if the US House of Representatives is backing him. He is working through the government, granted we may not like the rules but apparently the elected representatives does.
What is the definition of torture?
Air Conditioning?
I won't deny that there may have been ill treatment in Guantanamo Bay or even torture, but for the love of god, please use a better reference then Wikipedia!
As for Bill HR4752, so what? Great conservative countries like Finland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland all have compulsory service. I think it should be done in more countries to tell you the truth. Compulsory service is more then just signing people up to join the army, it is also public service.
Read Sec 8 of HR4752 when you get a chance, it discusses concientious objectors.
Section 9 shows that once they have served compulsory service, they will be exempt from it again, so even if they are in the military (or has served honorably for at least six months, in any component of the uniformed services on active duty they are exempt from it.
You're right that the representatives have given Bush this power. The point is, the power could give him power like a King (and I was using the words from the MSNBC report).
I love Wikipedia as a reference, but it wasn't the best reference here due to the political nature of the topic. Here are a couple better references on Guantanamo Bay .
I won't comment much on HR4752, since I didn't bring up that topic, other than to say, I really don't have a problem with mandatory service.
Oh, I forgot to metion that the torture most are concerned with is water boarding.
Part of an email I was sent today:
The recently enacted Military Commissions law, has created a system to try captured high-level al Qaeda figures without compromising intelligence, and ensured that the United States will be able to get information needed to prevent future attacks. This will ensure that bringing terrorists to justice will not result in a string of Pyrrhic victories.
How do the victories end up Pyrrhic? The answer is the discovery laws in the United States. Prior to the attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States treated terrorism as a law enforcement issue. In doing so, terrorists got the same rights as other criminals. In 1995, during the trial of Omar Abdel Rahman, a leader of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, the United States handed over a list of over 200 people to Rahman's lawyers in compliance with those laws. That information eventually found its way to al Qaeda headquarters. Even as terrorists were put away, al Qaeda was tipped off as to what the United States knew. Under the Military Commissions Act, classified information is to be protected, especially methods of gathering intelligence, and the sources of that intelligence.
The legislation also clarifies rules concerning what is and is not allowed with regards to the treatment of detainees, due to the Supreme Court's interpretation of the Geneva conventions in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld. The law specifically defines a grave breach of Common Article Three of the Geneva Convention as torture, physical abuse, murder, rape, sexual assault, hostage taking, intentionally causing serious injury, or performing biological experiments on prisoners.
The Military Commissions Act will also allow the interrogations that have enabled the United States to prevent attacks to continue. Methods that have a track record in breaking terrorists, like playing Red Hot Chili Peppers (or other music), are clearly allowed under the standards set. Some of the attacks thwarted by information gained due to the use of these methods included a plan to attack Marines in Djibouti, the American consulate in Karachi, and a plot to hijack airliners and fly them into targets in London. These interrogations also provided information that allowed the United States to break up an al-Qaeda cell planning an anthrax attack.
With this legislation, the United States has struck a balance that will keep the country secure. As a bonus, al Qaeda leaders like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (accused of beheading Daniel Pearl and planning the 9/11 attack), Ramzi Binalshibh (one of those who planned the 9/11 attack), and Abu Zubaydah (another planner of the attack on 9/11), will face justice without the risk of compromising intelligence operations against al Qaeda. That said, the Military Commissions Act will be attacked in court by human rights groups - and the courts have already shown themselves to be very willing to interject themselves into these cases and give terrorists a break.
Water Boarding as a demonstration sport.
It is interesting that water boarding is considered torture. After all some things cause long term physical damage while waterboarding and other CIA interogation techniques seem almost mild in comparison. I ask you this, water boarding or The Aeroplane Treatment if you are captured as a spy?
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