Letters to the Editor
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Is it possible?
My first impression of Mukasey's equivocation on torture is like most here: yet another toady for BushCo. However, could it be that Mukasey really does believe that waterboarding is torture but knows that if he says so unequivocally that Bush will simply withdraw his nomination? There's no way Bush will appoint an Attorney General who will turn around and begin prosecuting him. Could it be possible that Mukasey is trying to telegraph to Congress that he believes waterboarding is torture while retaining a fig leaf of ambiguity/doubt so that he can actually get to the position AG and go after Bush?
I'm no expert on these matters but it seems so unlikely that Bush would allow anyone who says straight out that his administration is guilty of torture to become AG. I think they'd come up with some phony reason to withdraw the nomination regardless of how obvious the real reason is.
Feel free to shoot holes in this theory -- I'm not convinced this is so. I'm just speculating as to another possibility given how many say this is seems out of character for Mukasey.
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How about sedition?
In Canada what you are describing as Addington and Cheney's "doctrinal" views, we would call sedition.
Our Supreme Court has held that a conviction for sedition required proof of an intention to incite disorder against the institutions of the state, for the purpose of disturbing constituted authority in some way.
That seems to fit the Addington doctrine. Given the unfortunate history you have had with your Sedition Acts you may wish to shy away from the term, but, by whatever name, it does seem to me that the Addington/Cheney "doctrine" is criminal in nature, in that it is designed to covertly undermine the constituted authority of the USA, and it is is not merely a matter of a differing partisan political view as to what the constituted authority is.
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Sedition?? Absolutely.
That's exactly what the Bush cabal has engaged in from the moment they were appointed by the Supreme Court in a decision so lawless and extreme that it may not be cited as precedent.
They have proceeded to violated the Geneva Convention, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, large portions of the United States Code, and, of course, the Constitution.
The Mainstream Media cavorts as their lapdog, and the Democrats take impeachment off the table and fund their ilegal war.
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The rack? Cattle prods?
I've heard two basic arguments for why Mukasey can't say waterboarding is torture:
1) he doesn't really know what it is;
2) the US won't disclose whether it does or does not use any particular interrogation tactic.
Don't both those arguments apply to any torture tactic (e.g. the rack, cattle prods, etc.)? If he can say whether those are torture or not (and I bet he can), why not waterboarding? Quite obviously, unlike those other torture techniques and contrary to arguments 1 and 2, it is because he does know what waterboarding is and knows we do it.
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Water boarding has a history going back to the Inquisition in the 1500's . . .
If that's not equivalent of the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for a torture technique, I don't know what is.
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Dear Mr. President,
Thanks to your efforts, and those of Mr. Cheney, we now have a culture which would permit someone of great stature, such as Mr. Mukasey, to stand in front of the chambers of Congress, and equivocate, waffle and weasle about something as fundamental as torture.
Just seven (has it been that long?) short years ago, I would not have thought such a thing would be possible.
It makes me wonder how much futher down you can possibly drag this nation, and how many generations it will take until the damage you have wrought can be spoken of in the past tense. I know, long ago, you surrendered any moral right to the presidency, and instead have substituted your self-righteous fake messianic rechtitude upon us as an attempt to hide the depths and darkness that is your soul. Had you even as much of that as my dog, you would long ago have resigned. You longevity past such a moment, I fear, is testament only to your depravity.
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How Mukasey Could Understand that Waterboarding is Torture
Have one of our experienced 'professionals' do their magic on him or a close loved-one. If it is not him they do it on, make certain that he is right there and experiences every horrifying minute of it.
Then, let him make an objective assessment as to whether or not it is torture.
I'm certain he will make the correct decision then.
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Saving grace
So, Mukasy declares waterboarding to be torture, and thus illegal; and is confirmed as AG. Georgejr proposes a bill that rectoactively makes torture legal. The Senate & House trot out their usual suspects (independent voices, Spector , Leahy, Schumer, McCain, etc) to object. But, once again, they ALL capitulate (because bin Laden lurks), and nothing Georgejr & dick want to do (or have done) becomes not legal, but required.
May they ALL be raptured...........SOON
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Mikey likes it...
Yep, Mikey likes it even though he doesn't really know what the hell it is? He likes it because Dubya and Uncle Dick told him that he does and thus begins the frontal labotomy process of working for the administration. It is truly sad that some people will do or say anything to improve upon a resume or gain a new group of friends. What else could be his motive? Maybe employment for a loved one or a family member? Maybe he was just bored as hell and wanted a new challenge? What's challenging about being a hand-puppet? The names have changed but the roles are the same. Save the cheerleader/Dubya, save the world! I wonder what Fredo is doing these days? Ignorance is bliss and is always an excuse for not knowing what to say. The CIA (Crisis In America) forgot that they have an Inspector General Office to actually investigate and prosecute their own people for criminal violations, including the Director and his Yes Men. What are we paying these people for? I got to go feed my chickens, at least they are productive and honest.
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Another Godfather of the Plunge Into Barbarism
In discussing how we came to this pass, let us not forget the contributions of Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz, who pounced upon 9/11 as an opportunity to further the normalization of torture. Perhaps best known for his participation in the O. J. Simpson defense team, he ought to be better known for the sheer sliminess of statements such as this, which pretend to say one thing but are intended to, and do, have the opposite effect:
I am against torture as a normative matter, and I would like to see its use minimized.*
Along with John Yoo, who sadly continues to disgrace my own alma mater, he belongs to the FEHS (Fascist Enablers Hall of Shame).
*http://torture.stanford.edu/2007/05/alan_dershowitz_and_the_tickin.html