Monday, January 03, 2005
Government Determines Torture is Wrong
But Life In Prison without a Trial is Ok!
Gee it only took abouttwo years to figure this one out. Talk about moral values. The administration is now backing away from a legal memo (drafted by AG nominee Gonzales) that defined torture of prisoners in the narrowest of terms. Gonzales's nomination hearings are likely to be brutal, although I doubt they'll strip him and attach electrodes to his genitalia, at least not literally. But is Gonzales's loosey-goosey reading of treaties and the Consitution to allow the government the greatest power possible really the person we want as are head law enforcement person? Maybe....
U.S. revises its definition of torture
http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/12/31/justice.torture.memo.ap/index.html
DEMS CONSIDER TORTURE SHOW 'N TELL AT GONZALES HEARING
http://www.drudgereport.com/mattag.htm
But at the same time there's talk about interring, for life, those captured in the war on terror. That outcome is fine by me, but what bugs the elephant is that the life detentions will be done, without trial or even any forum where the government can provide evidence of reasons to detain these folks. The birth of the American Gulag if you will. Now, I'm not jumping on the ACLU bandwagon here and I don't think that terror suspects (who are noncitizens) deserve the full legal benefits of U.S. citizens, but even the most basic, independent review of the reasons for the detentions would help ensure that there are no mistakes and that innocent individuals aren't denied their liberty without due process. But I forget, the U.S. government in its current incarnation doesn't make mistakes.
Long-Term Plan Sought For Terror Suspects
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1802&u=/washpost/20050102/ts_washpost/a41475_2005jan1&printer=1
Gee it only took abouttwo years to figure this one out. Talk about moral values. The administration is now backing away from a legal memo (drafted by AG nominee Gonzales) that defined torture of prisoners in the narrowest of terms. Gonzales's nomination hearings are likely to be brutal, although I doubt they'll strip him and attach electrodes to his genitalia, at least not literally. But is Gonzales's loosey-goosey reading of treaties and the Consitution to allow the government the greatest power possible really the person we want as are head law enforcement person? Maybe....
U.S. revises its definition of torture
http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/12/31/justice.torture.memo.ap/index.html
DEMS CONSIDER TORTURE SHOW 'N TELL AT GONZALES HEARING
http://www.drudgereport.com/mattag.htm
But at the same time there's talk about interring, for life, those captured in the war on terror. That outcome is fine by me, but what bugs the elephant is that the life detentions will be done, without trial or even any forum where the government can provide evidence of reasons to detain these folks. The birth of the American Gulag if you will. Now, I'm not jumping on the ACLU bandwagon here and I don't think that terror suspects (who are noncitizens) deserve the full legal benefits of U.S. citizens, but even the most basic, independent review of the reasons for the detentions would help ensure that there are no mistakes and that innocent individuals aren't denied their liberty without due process. But I forget, the U.S. government in its current incarnation doesn't make mistakes.
Long-Term Plan Sought For Terror Suspects
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1802&u=/washpost/20050102/ts_washpost/a41475_2005jan1&printer=1
