Comments on: Tortured Reasoning

By: MarkH

MarkH — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 04:03:23 +0000

lawyer question:
If we now pass a law that explicity calls water torture torture,could the slimmy bastards calim it wasn’t illegal when they did it?

Seems like they would try, though the other laws against torture have been on the books for years.

On another tack, if there’s a Supreme Court opening now they can appoint someone who accepts torturing as okay. What would stop them now that Senate Dems have said torturing is okay with them?

By: TJ

TJ — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:04:15 +0000

Why does Congress have to pass a law; isn’t it already illegal? If Congress does pass a law, doesn’t that excuse all prior waterboarding on the argument that it was not illegal until the law was passed?

What needs to be passed is a resolution mandating the AG to enforce an existing law prohibiting torture.

By: Maddy

Maddy — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:07:03 +0000

I have almost drowned in big waves in Mexico, or I thought I was going to drown, both things are the same, a terror induced panic is hard to fight.

I cannot imagine anyone condoning this and would suggest that those who deny it as torture or mitigate it with bullshit interpretations volunteer to experience it and then say it is not torture.

That we are even having this conversation is disgusting and very disturbing..what have we become.

I am thoroughly sick at heart.

By: karen allen

karen allen — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:59:28 +0000

Ah, yes, Arlen Spector followed his usual pattern of acting like he was going to be a maverick then toeing the Administration line when it came to a vote.

By: Katie Jacob

Katie Jacob — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:53:40 +0000

After reading Scott Horton’s description of Mukasey’s meeting with members of the Federalist Society and his nod to them on Bush’s torture policy and assurance that he will not appoint special prosecutor, it occurred to me that Bush et al.are seriously afraid of being prosecuted for war crimes. Mukasey tells questioners that if Congress passes a law making waterboarding illegal,then it will be. In other words, if Congress passes the law now, then Bush can argue that waterboarding wasn’t illegal before they passed the law, otherwise why would they need to pass a law. Sounds like a trap. Congress doesn’t need to pass a law to make waterboarding illegal,it is already illegal and they know it. A law passed by Congress would give them cover. Mukasey is in on the fix. Does this make sense?

By: pluege

pluege — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:10:53 +0000

someone needs to inform Schumer that accepting torture for expediency of an unrelated matter is not a credible or moral position.

And the solution for bush insistence on a CYA AG is not to cave yet again to his criminal reign, but to get Pelosi to impeach the bastard so Schumer and co. can remove him and cheney so we can get an American President.
.

By: sona

sona — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:45:35 +0000

mack @ 115

Biodun @ 108

Black. It’s always been black. At least in the West. In Muslim countries, it’s white.

Buddhist is white as well (if I am not mistaken)

You’re right. White is also the colour of mourning for Hindus and one can be a legitimate Hindu atheist.

By: pseudonymous in nc

pseudonymous in nc — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:39:11 +0000

sbgypsy @ 146

pseudonymous in nc @ 83

Let’s call it ‘American water torture’, to distinguish it from the Chinese variety. I see nothing wrong with that three-word phrase.

Lets call it “Inquisition Water Torture” - ’cause we didn’t invent it, and it’s been around a long time, long enough to be confirmed as torture(esp when the nazis used it in WWII)

Sorry, no can do. It’s not who invents it, but who makes it their own. Or it’s a name designed to denigrate: the French letter, French leave, etc. People will be calling it ‘l’eau americain’ for years to come.

George Bush has made waterboarding America’s Torture Method™.

By: sbgypsy

sbgypsy — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:35:03 +0000

pseudonymous in nc @ 83

JF @ 76

How ’bout “water torture”?

Let’s call it ‘American water torture’, to distinguish it from the Chinese variety. I see nothing wrong with that three-word phrase.

Lets call it “Inquisition Water Torture” - ’cause we didn’t invent it, and it’s been around a long time, long enough to be confirmed as torture(esp when the nazis used it in WWII)

Is there any hope of primary-ing Schumer and Feinstein??

By: SoCalSailor

SoCalSailor — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:29:59 +0000

Ed*ard Teller @ 65

Oklahoma kiddo @ 58

What are the motivating factors involved in the Schumer-DiFi-Mukasey event?

It might be their intense love of a foreign country, not a very trustworthy ally, which covets its neighbors’ lands and has been waterboarding prisoners since the early 1950s.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Give the man the kewpie doll!

But, do not construe this award to mean that our own institutions are any less capable than those of a foreign country.