"The rendition of these prisoners was a grave breach of the Geneva Convention. Their treatment at the black site probably raises still graver questions. And now it appears that breach is on-going–and no effort has been undertaken to cure it. The Obama Administration needs to show that it is serious about upholding its obligations under international law." --Scott Horton at Harpers

Just as many of us saw the lies dripping from Bush as he vacantly assured us that we do not torture while we freely render the accused--Obama wants us to take heart when he gives equally empty invocations justice, propriety and rule of law.

We, thinking, skeptics have lived under the clouded and scratched bubble of Cheney-terror-threats-are-our-friend America.

When the rest of the citizens catch up to speed on why most powerful leaders seek the wiggle room necessary to achieve more power--it might be too late to cry foul.

Look mommy, Uncle Fred was arrested for parading openly for gays and peace activists and he's a liberal, too. I didn't know either that he used to campaign for that socialist, black President who believes that anyone disagreeing with him must be guilty of something.

The rendering for "interrogation" will never stop until the NSA and CIA (among others) are controllable-- one may dream.

AP Newsbreak: CIA destroyed 92 interrogation tapes

EXCERPT:

WASHINGTON –

"ACLU attorney Amrit Singh said the CIA should be held in contempt of court for holding back the information for so long.

"The large number of videotapes destroyed confirms that the agency engaged in a systematic attempt to hide evidence of its illegal interrogations and to evade the court's order," Singh said in a statement.

The tapes also became a contentious issue in the trial of Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, after prosecutors initially claimed no such recordings existed, then after the trial was over, they acknowledged two videotapes and one audiotape had been made.

The criminal investigation into the CIA's videotapes included interrogations of al-Qaida lieutenant Abu Zubaydah and another top al-Qaida leader. They were destroyed, in part, to protect the identities of the government questioners at a time the Justice Department was debating whether the tactics used during the interrogations — which are believed to have included waterboarding — were illegal."

No need to accuse some, like myself who believe that our legitimate government has fallen prey to a shadow, conspiratorial force since the CIA/NSA were given unbridled funding to operate outside our Constitution--

this is symptomatic.

____

"None of those marginally positive changes matter if the government is separate from the people by a two tiered system of justice and converted into a corporate owned surveillance state. None of them matter when taking the long view."

It shall be interesting to see who lines up first to grab their national ID cards and RFID chips to attend their preferred, political rallies.

We are, as adnoto contends "a government separate from the people.."

With Technology Like This, Who Needs the Law?

by ACLU

Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 08:51:34 AM PST

By Rachel Myers, ACLU

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/14/104215/56/181/...

ACLU document regarding the case:

http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37741res20080701.htm...

Also here is a great resource concerning the lawsuit cases the ACLU has brought against the US Government regarding the use of cell phones to illegally listen in and track people:

http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/37741res20080701.htm...

Mr. President, tear down this wall (of faux transparency).

As we all saw the creep since 9-11 of every cherished freedom and privacy erode away at every turn--then we actually see on the MSM reported what they should have reported 7,6,5,4,3,2, and 1 year ago--we are not shocked--merely beleaguered by the drain of lawfulness.

When Glenn cites these flagrant offenses such as positioning our own military against us under the guise of-- "terrorism" against the homeland invalidates the Constitution and BOR--we are again, not surprised.

Rather, we are apprehensive that no noble words written upon parchment 250 years ago can save us when a President declares "crisis", making us all his subjects.

"Yeah - if there's one thing we've had too much of, it's outrage over what was done. Think how much better things would be if we had less."

I "ditto" your sentiment of repulsion.

Less Limbaugh misquoting of what's in the CON/BOR, more real, Civil Liberties content, PLEASE.

"what other highly illegal activities may have been slush-funded into fruition during the reign of George II" idl1975

The beauty of anonymity and cyber closets--we can't see the red or even pale faces.

"Until the Constitution is actually upheld and used, it is dead and is no longer the basis for US governance."

Good points about the social order/contract governess with our citizens. Even the Amish would soon succumb to the outside disorder that will prevail upon their exclusionary, rural existence.

"UPDATE II: It's somewhat surreal to witness -- now that George Bush is out of office -- the avalanche of establishment media reports suddenly acknowledging today, rather explicitly, how radical and lawless his presidency was, as though we only learned of that this week with the release of these memos."

Revulsion is too weak to describe my "outrage" when I see and hear the avalanche of newly-found-elightenment pour forth from the gas-filled pundits and righters who fully-supported the their agenda of war, thievery and burn-the-liberal rhetoric and deed.

Now they are so wise, astute and brave to lambaste the Bush era now that it's safe and fashionable to do so.

Cowards and choose-the-winner-when-he's-on-top prevaricators--every one of 'em.