LETTER: Powell Says Bush Plan To Authorize Torture ‘Would Put Troops At Risk’
LETTER: Powell Says Bush Plan To Authorize Torture ‘Would Put Troops At Risk’
Gen. Colin Powell issued a letter today sharply criticizing President Bush’s new legislation that would establish a system of military commissions to try suspected terrorists. See a copy of the letter HERE.
Bush’s proposal would “liberalize the definition of what is torture” by amending the War Crimes Act to “permit use of hypothermia, threats of violence to the detainee and his family, stress positions, ‘long-time standing,’ prolonged sleep deprivation, and possibly waterboarding.”
In his letter, Powell writes, “The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism. To redefine Common Article 3 would add to those doubts. Furthermore, it would put our own troops at risk.”
Read the full transcript:
Dear Senator McCain,
I just returned to town and learned about the debate taking place in Congress to redefine Common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention. I do not support such a step and believe it would be inconsistent with the McCain amendment on torture which I supported last year.
I have read the powerful and eloquent letter sent to you by one my [sic] distinguished predecessors as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Jack Vessey. I fully endorse in tone and tint his powerful argument. The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism. To redefine Common Article 3 would add to those doubts. Furthermore, it would put our own troops at risk.
I am as familiar with The Armed Forces Officer as is Jack Vessey. It was written after all the horrors of World War II and General George C. Marshall, then Secretary of Defense, used it to tell the world and to remind our soldiers of our moral obligations with respect to those in our custody.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
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74 Responses to “LETTER: Powell Says Bush Plan To Authorize Torture ‘Would Put Troops At Risk’”
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Let someone torture Bush.
September 14th, 2006 at 12:55 pmBetter late than never, Powell……Blessings
September 14th, 2006 at 12:56 pmWhere is the outrage? Bush wants to be king. History won’t be kind to him and his cabal. Vote in November!
September 14th, 2006 at 12:56 pmI’m waiting for the letter from Powell where he admits that he put the troops at risk with his UN speech.
September 14th, 2006 at 12:56 pmLet someone torture him.
September 14th, 2006 at 12:58 pmWhy isn’t there an outcry telling the President, you do this and you go to the World Court to be tried for war crimes.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:01 pmMost of the items on the list are just plain wrong and would indeed lower even further this country’s moral standing. But this idea:
threats of violence to…his family
is so beyind the pale that is hard to think where to start. At its core, the threat of a terrorist attack is also threating violence against the families of those a terrorist has problems with. The current leaders are so much stripping away all pretense this country has the moral high ground against the terrorist.
But it has never been their intent to actually defeat the terrorists, but to only use the threat they generate to further their grasp on power.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:04 pmDid Powell write this letter with the blood of the dead American servicemen he helped ship off to an illegal war?
September 14th, 2006 at 1:10 pmGood for Powell. I hope he hammers hard on this issue. A former sec. of state should carry some amount of weight and he still has some amount of credibility with the American people, regardless of his UN fiasco.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:10 pmI would actually expect the bushies to start a full-on smear of the guy soon.
America’s Least Wanted
Update On Greg Palast. Exxon has contacted Greg, and are backing off on their complaint about him. He’s not sure though, if the DHS is going to drop the charges yet.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:11 pmSo, Colon’s Bowell was full again and he needed to drop another load of his crap on the public. His hands are full of blood from My Lai, to Iran-Contra to WMD. Nothing can wipe the guilt of his complicity away.
Ray McGovern the ex-CIA official who called out Rummy knew Powell growing up in NYC and said he was a person who always put personal ambition ahead of personal courage.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:14 pmColin, you sound tough now. You should have done the same when working for Bush. Still looking for WMD´s, right?
September 14th, 2006 at 1:15 pmDid Powell write this letter with the blood of the dead American servicemen he helped ship off to an illegal war?
Comment by dlet
Well said. These guys think we lack memory. Some of us dont forget.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:17 pmtest
September 14th, 2006 at 1:19 pmI’m glad Powell chose to speak out, but his “moral authority” could have been helpful years ago. His comments represent the long-standing view of the U.S. military (with the exception, of course, of military intelligence), so it really is a no-brainer.
Funny, isn’t it, that pretend soldiers like George “It Reminds Me of When I Flew an Interceptor” Bush and Dick “Captain Deferment” Cheney so easily disregard real soldiers and marines?
Anyway, I’m sure Bush’ll listen really carefully to Powell now …
September 14th, 2006 at 1:19 pm4 and 11. Typical sidestep the issue and slander the messanger.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:20 pmSomeone tell me why this [+] keeps showing up in the names.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:23 pm“Beginning” in the geological sense I would guess.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:24 pmPay close attention to who votes in favor of torturing, because the man that condones torture of his enemy will condone torture of you should his dark malevalent eye cast a glance your way. And what we allow to be done to the other guy will be done to us in spades.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:25 pmPssst, Colin. You should talk more with people from other countries. There is no doubt about the moral basis of US fight against terrorism.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:26 pmWhy is it that when I think of “heartland value voters” I also think of Abu Ghraibe?
September 14th, 2006 at 1:30 pmFuYo, Colin. You had your chance.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:31 pmHe’s off the reservation. Who’s coming with him?
September 14th, 2006 at 1:35 pmWell, I guess it’s better later than never for Powell, after he aided and abetted the Bush administration to get it where it is today. Bush keeps showing the world over and over that he has no morals and no regard for anything or anyone except himself. He lies, tortures, kills, ignores the Constitution, ignores the Geneva Convention, ignores treaties, ignores the U.N., ignores world opinion and ignores all Americans who don’t treat him like the King he pretends to be. It’s mind boggling how Bush has had such a negative impact on the world.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:36 pmMy post is gone…
September 14th, 2006 at 1:36 pmMcCain amendment on torture which Banned Torture except - Bush from torturing people with a red pen in the eyeball
Now everybody who voted for the McCain oven chips amendent wants torture to be legal now …….. whats going on ????????
September 14th, 2006 at 1:37 pmFrom an AP article:
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who supports the administration, said he did not think the Bush plan would endanger U.S. troops because al-Qaida doesn’t take prisoners. “The prisoners they do take they behead,” he said.
Okay, so al Qaida doesn’t take prisoners, except for when they do. Right? But, that’s the only time. Otherwise, when they’re not taking any prisoners, they don’t take prisoners at all. Glad we cleared that up.
So, when they do take prisoners, even though they don’t, what do they do with them before they behead them? It wouldn’t be torture would it? I guess it doesn’t really matter, because the beheading sort of cancels out the torture part.
One more question for John “Brainiac” Cornyn: Would there ever happen to be any people interrogated under the new rules who were NOT members of al Qaeda? Is it possible that our giving the thumbs up to torture might lead others to do the same when they capture our troops? Maybe others who might have refrained from doing so if we weren’t already doing it to their people?
I don’t mean to pile on here, but I have another thought about Americans torturing prisoners that I’d like to bounce off of Sen. Cornyn’s mighty cranium. If we were fighting some hypothetical enemy in the future, and they knew that anyone who was captured by us was likely to be tortured and possibly tortured to death (which we’ve already done many times now), would that not encourage them to fight us to the death and never surrender? I’d be inclined to say “yes”.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:37 pmUncle Colin is just too little too late. He sees the writing on the wall and may be looking for a job with the Democrats in 2009. It is obvious why he claimed he wouldn’t go into politics when he retired from the Military. He has absolutely no credibility after he sold his soul to bushco and they shit-canned him.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:40 pmPut up or shut up Powell. Either lead the impeachment movement, or your legacy will forever be tarnished by your association with these evil, fascist usurpers.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:40 pmCould we still ask them “Pretty Please” in a loud voice? How could it further endanger U.S. troops? We already know what the enemy does to prisoners or have you all missed the video of them beheading people?
September 14th, 2006 at 1:42 pm#2 you are correct about Powell. He ruined himself by not resigning from the bush admin after 911. Hopefuly he will go back to his brilliant dove self.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:47 pmtime for powell to undo his wrongs and make them right
September 14th, 2006 at 1:55 pmAt the same time, the House Armed Services Committee voted 52 to 8 to ratify the White House’s version of legislation creating military commissions for trying terrorism suspects. The measure would give Bush the authority he seeks to withhold classified evidence from defendants, admit testimony that defendants might maintain was coerced, and protect U.S. intelligence agents from legal action over their interrogation methods. House Republican leaders plan to bring the tribunal bill to a vote next week.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:57 pmIt cannot be known how much Colin Powell is off his rocker. There are known knowns and in this case it is known that Colin Powell clearly hates America. There unknown knowns but I think this known known is a bona fide known. Now, do we know if Mr. Powell is a Nazi appeaser? Do we know if Mr. Powell loves the terrorists, that he wants to hold and coddle everyone of the these murderous islamofascists? Yes? Have I drank enough blood today? Why do people liken me to a creature of the night? Why do I ask so many questions?
September 14th, 2006 at 2:05 pm#30 Retired Republican Soldier
Could we still ask them “Pretty Please†in a loud voice? How could it further endanger U.S. troops? We already know what the enemy does to prisoners or have you all missed the video of them beheading people?
Which “enemy”? You have to be specific. This legislation isn’t specific. It doesn’t say we’ll only torture al Qaeda. It’s open to anyone we detain. Are all of the people who were tortured in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo al Qaeda? I’ll help you with that one. No. Were all of them guilty of something? No. Were hundreds of them released without charges afterwards? Yes. Would we have released them if they were terrorists? You tell me.
Private citizens like you can get away with talking about every detainee as being some vague “enemy” or “terrorist”, but we demand more intelligence from our elected officials and we damn well better get it. Look at the people who are voicing the strongest opposition to the bill. It’s the people in the military who know that they’re first in line when it comes to retaliation for torture. And that’s not part of the deal. That’s not what they signed a contract for.
Oh, by the way, experts in interrogation from the military, the FBI, and the CIA have determined that torture doesn’t work. We tortured a mentally ill man, Abu Zabdayah, who led us on a wild goose chase, tracking down fictitious leads, and causing who-knows-how-many elevated terror alerts based on information he made up and told the interrogators just to get the torture to stop.
September 14th, 2006 at 2:05 pmIs this the ONLY Bush policy with which Colin “the vial” Powell disagrees??? Sorry, not impressed, go back into your shell. This is the man who duped me, I will NEVER trust him again.
September 14th, 2006 at 2:07 pm#16
September 14th, 2006 at 2:07 pmI agree with the letter that he wrote. Its not a typical sidestep since Powell has not been in typical situations. He choose to go to hte UN and tell lies that made the use of our armed forces seem necessary. He has continued to choose to keep quiet about the build up to the war. He is more than a simple messenger. Now he worries about our troops. Well it’s good to see that he does have some moral fibre in him. I just don’t think it runs too deep. So yeah I slammed him, but with good reason. Its not an off the cuff baseless comment.
#33 Tobey:
September 14th, 2006 at 2:08 pmWhere can I get a list of the Democrats who went along with this?
Powell is too late…
…Bush’s (and by inference- America’s) credibility is GONE!
…the criminal Bushite junta (from this point on) is a foreign policy liability…
…that’s the message the Dems should be focusing on getting out to the critically dumbed down masses…
…With the liars and crooks Bush/Cheney at the helm America is in peril…
September 14th, 2006 at 2:11 pm#30 Retired Republican Soldier
Could we still ask them “Pretty Please†in a loud voice? How could it further endanger U.S. troops? We already know what the enemy does to prisoners or have you all missed the video of them beheading people?
And another thing. You cowering little baby Republicans are so frightened of the terrorist boogie man that you’ll abandon the Constitution in a heartbeat at the mere mention of it. Some right-wing moron gets up and starts telling you he needs absolute power over everything and shouldn’t be subject to any laws and doesn’t even have to let anyone know what he’s doing, and you’re ready to give up all rights and liberties to him with no thought of how we would ever get them back again. People like you deserve leaders like Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, and Mao. You practically beg for them. All the things that make this country great, you’re ready to flush them down the shitter because of your paralyzing fear of terrorists. What wouldn’t you sacrifice for Bush’s “war on terrr”, besides yourself, of course? Neighbors? Family members? Your own mother? Where do you draw the line? When do you decide that our actions might be a little bit too extreme for the security you believe this president is going to someday bring you?
September 14th, 2006 at 2:26 pm#40 chimpeach
…AMEN!
September 14th, 2006 at 2:38 pmWho cut this Repuppetcan’s string!!??
Someone tell this used to be honorable man I’ m sorry…………………………………………………………sorry people still listen to him.
Too Late Mr. Powell
RIP
SGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (Stryker)
KIA 3 Feb 2005
Mosul, Iraq
Or as Tony Snow, the Repuppetcans, the DLC (Down Low Conservatives), and the No Nothing Cons would say
#1462
September 14th, 2006 at 2:43 pmMosul, Iraq
Bush doesn’t see our soldiers as people - he sees them as pawns in his deadly war games. It is out of his capacity to consider that our guys will be jeopardized by his policies.
It is the schoolyard bully again - he has never outgrown the syndrome.
His rich parents provided everything he ever needed - he never had to wait, or work, or earn anything - it was all just his because Daddy could pull strings. Everything is for his pleasure, his ego, his psycho-need to feel like a big man because inside he fears he is out of his league, big time!
But now he is in charge, people fall all over themselves to do his bidding and earn his favor, because he has the power to make them or break them.
September 14th, 2006 at 2:46 pmSafety of soldiers does not enter into his paradigm. Rules don’t apply to him - if he breaks them, he will bully others to retroactively change them in his favor.
Constitution defense? Words in an oath that don’t apply to him.
I think the man is delusional. I think he is deranged. I think he is incapable of reasonable thinking, particularly when the lives of others are at stake; his is the only life he is concerned about.
I think he is dangerous.
BEGINNING? HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! BEGINNING? WHEW! THAT’S FUNNY SHIT, THAT IS! ESPECIALLY COMING FROM, GET THIS…COLIN POWELL! OH, MY GOD, I CAN’T STOP LAUGHING! SOMEBODY SAVE ME! JESUS! JESUS! JESUS! W-H-O-O-O-O-O-E-E-E-E! THIS IS EVEN FUNNIER THAN BUSH’S “THEY HATE US FOR OUR FREEDOM”! I CAN’T TYPE ANYMORE, MY EYES ARE FILLING UP WITH TEARS FROM LAUGHING SO HARD! OH, STOP IT, I CAN’T TAKE ANYMORE! HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! OH, OH, SHIT! MY HEART…
September 14th, 2006 at 3:05 pmchimpeach…. Well said!
The Chimp’s supporters need someone to tell them what to do, tell them that they are safe, Daddy’s watching over them. Desperate people in need of authority figures.
September 14th, 2006 at 3:18 pmHow many people have died in the CIA’s secret prison system - nobody knows But I bet at least 100 dead that makes Americans no better than the raghead headchoppers in fact its worse because you just deny they ever existed meanwhile there love ones Grieve forever
Monday will be interesting beacuse Kofi Annan is gonna declare America a terrorist state - redifining the meaning of terrorism to include (State terrorism)
LINK HERE Movement to Redefine Terrorism
September 14th, 2006 at 3:38 pmahhhhh…who the hell is listening to Powell - that jackass let bush/cheney/rumsfeld torch all his credibility in Feb ‘03.
September 14th, 2006 at 3:46 pm.
“Let someone torture Bush.”
the problem is, “beautiful mind” barb and poppi did… and “shit roles downhill”
September 14th, 2006 at 3:49 pm.
I’m not going to bash Powell concerning what has previously happened, including the debacle at the UN and other instances. He was a soldier, and took those attitudes to his political career. As such, he believed Bush, believed in what he was doing at that time. This does not excuse his actions, but it does put them into perspective. The fact that he doesn’t act like a politician and turn around and attack Bush, is in my opinion the act of someone showing uncommon character, a refreshing change from your normal congress-critter/presi(wanna-be-king)dent.
Trying to work within the system by contacting and trying to gather the support of important members of the congress in opposing this proposed law. My other worry here is the Constitutional angle. If the Geneva Conventions are to be considered the world-accepted standard, does not the Bill of Rights protect those who are subject to cruel and unusual punishment?
September 14th, 2006 at 4:15 pmThis is the reasons that Kerry lost the election in 04 - is thinking like….
Why isn’t there an outcry telling the President, you do this and you go to the World Court to be tried for war crimes.
Dems want to cede all US power to some random world court of people who hate us, whether its a “world court” (puke) or the UN (worthless).
Plus - Powell out recently now that his boy Dick has been revealed as Powell’s henchman is quite a concidence. Who is loser wilson going to sue now? Howard Dean? Hilarious. I love watching the dems self implode seeing that America is waking up and realizing the last thing they want is some crazy ass libs running the country.
September 14th, 2006 at 4:32 pmYes, Bush’s plan to (continue to) authorize torture would put our troops at risk. But, there’s another reason not to use torture.
IT’S MORALLY WRONG! Hello, “conservatives?!” Hello “moral majority”?!
[ chirping of crickets ]
September 14th, 2006 at 4:42 pmBush: “America will never seek a permission slip to invade another country but I will seek one from Condi when I have to go to the bathroom during a security council meeting.” Much better to have crazy ass conservatives running the country.
September 14th, 2006 at 5:01 pm#50 bonesTwo
Dems want to cede all US power to some random world court of people who hate us, whether its a “world court†(puke) or the UN (worthless).
Plus - Powell out recently now that his boy Dick has been revealed as Powell’s henchman is quite a concidence. Who is loser wilson going to sue now? Howard Dean? Hilarious. I love watching the dems self implode seeing that America is waking up and realizing the last thing they want is some crazy ass libs running the country.
Keep trying. You came very close to actually saying something.
September 14th, 2006 at 5:16 pmRRS
September 14th, 2006 at 5:18 pmIf torture is so great to protect our country, how about we torture Tom Delay, Scooter Libby, Dr. Frist, Tom Noe, Jack Abrahmoff, and Duke Cunningham in an effort to find out how far the election scams of 2000 and 2004 went in order to illegally elect Bush and how many other corrupt republicans there are who have economically endangered our country.
[…] LETTER: Powell Says Bush Plan To Authorize Torture Would Put Think Progress, DC - 5 hours ago Bush s proposal would liberalize the definition of what is torture by amending the War Crimes Act to permit use of hypothermia, threats of violence […]
September 14th, 2006 at 6:02 pmI’ll bet Bush thinks up these torture methods himself. I’d say that he might lay awake nights thinking of them but then again I’ll bet they come naturally to him.
September 14th, 2006 at 7:52 pmGood one chimpeach - is that the standard response “Nu.UH!”. Is, “I know you are but what am I” next?
September 14th, 2006 at 9:04 pm[…] Think Progress » LETTER: Powell Says Bush Plan To Authorize Torture ‘Would Put Troops At Risk’ (tags: torture Bush politics powell) […]
September 14th, 2006 at 9:34 pmThe one thing in common with these war criminals, and Democrats who supported the war included, is that when they speak of torture being wrong, it’s always in the sense that it makes us look bad, or is bad for the strategic interests of the United States, or bad for the moral of our troops. It is never admitted that torture is morally wrong, and degrading to the human condition.
This only shows how truly detached people like Colin Powell are from the social and political reality of the world: the United State’s goverment is the villian of the world, and cannot but act in it’s own self-preservation alone.
September 14th, 2006 at 10:45 pm#57 bonesTwo
Good one chimpeach - is that the standard response “Nu.UH!â€. Is, “I know you are but what am I†next?
No. It means that, in the same manner as your favorite president, you struggled to put together a coherent paragraph and failed. Case in point:
Powell out recently now that his boy Dick has been revealed as Powell’s henchman is quite a concidence. Who is loser wilson going to sue now? Howard Dean? Hilarious.
It almost made sense, but it’s not really worth picking apart.
Douchebag.
September 14th, 2006 at 11:47 pmRRS, where were you on the Air Force thread? Aren’t you going to volunteer?
September 15th, 2006 at 12:06 am#57 Join the Air Force thread. It wouldn’t be a loss if they screwed it up with you.
September 15th, 2006 at 12:07 amSaw both clinton and powell on the world business forum in New York this week (http://www.wbfny.com). Both were awesome.
I’m convinced Powell was ‘played’ by this administration, which is also why he was dumped the first chance they got, as soon as the ‘acceptable black’ started disagreeing with ‘da masta’…
Nope, Powell is a good, practical man in my book. You should learn more about him before you judge him.
September 15th, 2006 at 9:21 amHoly crap, chimpeach! That’s one of the funniest posts i’ve seen in a while. I had to read it twice to get all the laughs. As for the beheading part, let’s just say that IF I were captuured I certainly wouldn’t want to be tortured prior to beheading.
Between the torture and the complete mess we’ve created in Iraq, is it not not now obvious why the US is often viewed as evil? It boils down to the fact that we are. Or at least, we have a government that’s completely out of control, and terrorists are going to hold innocent citizens responsible….again.
September 15th, 2006 at 9:29 am[…] Which is exactly why any tampering with the GC is asking for trouble. As Colin Powell mentioned yesterday, “To redefine Common Article 3 would … put our own troops at risk.” […]
September 15th, 2006 at 12:56 pm[…] Look! Someone speaking out against the president! Kill the unpatriotic bastard!!! It’s not exactly as strongly worded as I’d like, but then neither Powell (he or his son, FCC chair) ever had the balls to say anything particularly worth hearing or paying attention to. […]
September 15th, 2006 at 3:13 pm[…] ThinkProgress has the actual letter. “The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism. To redefine Common Article 3 would add to those doubts. Furthermore, it would put our own troops at risk.”read more | digg story […]
September 15th, 2006 at 5:39 pm[…] I think the important question after today’s press conference is how will the “true conservatives” react to George Bush’s response to Colin Powell? Earlier this week Powell sent a letter that was critical of Bush’s proposed detainee treatments. Powell is still a champion amongst the (quotes imply a modest roll of the eyes) “true conservatives” who feel a bit let down by the mess the world has become that they went along with but don’t want to be held in any way responsible for, so for the president to question his logic and moral fiber¹ seems like it might piss a few of them off. […]
September 15th, 2006 at 10:03 pmPlease do not allow President Bush to modify the Geneva Convention to allow torturing terrorists, regardless of what he calls it. This country must stand for some moral high ground. What he is asking for is certainly not Christian. After 9/11, we had the world’s sympathy for the attack on the World Trade Center; now, we have turned everyone against us because of our actions in Iraq. If we had concentrated all our resources on searching for Bin Ladin and not invaded Iraq, the world would still support us. Instead we have invested trillions of dollars, thousands of lives, and even more injured just to satisfy Bush’s agenda. Although Hussein is an evil man, I doubt if 50-100 Iraqis in Bagdad were being killed daily by him, which is what is happening now with the sectarian violence. Bush is threatening our Constitution and what this country should stand for. Please do not let this happen.
September 16th, 2006 at 3:11 pm[…] This is great news for the many Americans worried that Bush would ram through two bills — Bush’s plan to reinterpret the Geneva Convention and Arlen Specter’s FISA bill — that would both give him unprecedented power, as well as further diminish the U.S.’s reputation both home and abroad. […]
September 16th, 2006 at 6:29 pm[…] Thing is, Colin Powell, lying war criminal that he is, didn’t compare Bush to the terrorists. He simply said that when the President of the United States goes to Capital Hill demanding authority to torture people and use their coerced “confessions” in military “courts,” the basic bankrupt assumption of the American government’s power overseas - that they are killing people for their own good - is undermined. And that if people quit believing in “our” benevolent motives (did anyone, ever?), it will make it much more difficult to maintain our world empire. […]
September 16th, 2006 at 7:14 pmAll those who voted for Bush in the second term have blood on their hands …(of all the people dead in the unnecessary war in Iraq)…..
September 17th, 2006 at 6:51 pmlet someone torture Bingo+! (comments #1 and #5)
September 20th, 2006 at 1:01 amI read on another site that Cheney denied being in favour of “water boarding” but had said he supported “dunking.” Maybe these two terms convey something different to some people but I think it must be a distinction without a difference.
I have many memories of dunkings in swimming pools and at beaches. I never thought of it as torture or even coersion. Is Cheney’s idea to have a fun time out for prisoners? What an interesting idea for him to have brought into discussions of prisoners in military camps. A day of recreation at the beach for all prisoners.
Would he allow the same break for the USA military men and women, maybe once a week?
Did Cheney mean “dunking” as a torture? Does it mean holding someone under water? If so for how long? Is the prisoner assured in advance that he will not be allowed to drown? Is the fact that Cheney would want the prisoner to believe that he/she may infact be allowed to drown? If that is the methodology then there is no difference. Cheney’s “dunking” is “water boardings” equivelent. Once again the White House spins its web of lies to decieve and trap the American voter into supporting the hijacking of America. I hope that finally the American people will make Cheney and his camp pay for their treachery.
October 27th, 2006 at 1:20 pm