Monday, December 05, 2005

Torture By Any Other Name

Would be just as apalling.

The defining of torture in a new world war

The Torture Memo By Judge Jay S. Bybee That Haunted Alberto Gonzales's Confirmation Hearings
Tracing the Torture Memos

"[T]he Bush Orders of January and February, 2002, denying Geneva Convention protection to captured members of the Taliban and Al Qaeda appears inherently flawed. Acts carried out in furtherance of those orders, if themselves violations, might, accordingly, constitute war crimes."



And yet, Rice defends US policy. Even when records show 'serious mistakes have been made'.

My Country's Secret Prisons:

Q&A: CIA jails allegations
Rice visits Germany amid CIA row

And, in other 'stunning' news: US 'is failing to protect itself'

Well, hully gee.

***

There's something about this that bugs me that I've expressed before in various ways. Call it an overdose of literalism if you will. Call it the cheating society America has become. "Everyone does it." So long as we obey the letter of the law, we don't have to live up to the spirit. The appearance, but not the truth.

Well, frankly, I find that unacceptable. Would you like to know why? It's simple: because torture is wrong. That's why. No matter who does it.

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