Sands: Bush’s Architects Of Torture Are ‘Weaseling Out’ Of Responsibility For ‘Crimes’
Sands: Bush’s Architects Of Torture Are ‘Weaseling Out’ Of Responsibility For ‘Crimes’
In his new book, Torture Team, renowned international lawyer Philippe Sands documents the fact that Bush’s torture program was approved at the highest levels of the administration.
Speaking with PBS’s Bill Moyers on Friday, Sands noted that these architects of torture refuse to acknowledge they were “complicit in the commission of a crime.” “There was not a hint of recognition that anything had gone wrong, nor a hint of recognition of individual responsibility,” he said of his interviews with key torture advocates.
Sands cited former Pentagon official Doug Feith, who was instrumental in shredding the Geneva Conventions, as an example:
When you read my account with Doug Feith and with others, you will see the sort of weaseling out of individual responsibility, the total and abject failure to accept involvement. Read Mr. Feith’s book. on how to fight the so-called war on terror. And it’s as though the man had no involvement in the decisions relating to interrogation of detainees. And yet, as I describe in the book, the man was deeply involved in the decision making from step one. So it’s about individual responsibility. And there’s been an abject failure on that account.
Watch it:
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia recently argued that torture is not unconstitutional. Speaking with Moyers, Sands slammed Scalia for being “foolish” and not considering the implications of his words:
I’ve listened, for example, to Justice Antonin Scalia saying, if the president wants to authorize torture, there’s nothing in our constitution which stops it. Now, pause for a moment. That is such a foolish thing to say. If the United States president can do that, then why can’t the Iranian president do that, or the British prime minister do that, or the Egyptian president do that?
“You open the door in that way, to all sorts of abuses, and you expose the American military to real dangers,” Sands concluded.
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Of course they are!!
If any member of this administration ever stepped forward and took personal responsibility for ANYTHING, I’d drop in a dead faint.
May 11th, 2008 at 11:49 amSands clearly states that Bush was in on the decision. This should put some juicy meat on the plates of the Hague. Wouldn’t it be delicious if War Prez were to become War Criminal Prez?
May 11th, 2008 at 12:00 pmYou know, I seem to remember the Republicans back in 2000 calling themselves “the Party of Personal Responsibility” and criticizing the Clinton Administration for never accepting the blame for anything.
Do I remember incorrectly or are these people simply enormous hypocrites?
May 11th, 2008 at 12:01 pmSo it’s about individual responsibility. And there’s been an abject failure on that account.
Yes indeed, I believe there’s been a failure on that account for over seven years now.
May 11th, 2008 at 12:02 pmOur government is Enron with no Justice Department to make it accountable.
May 11th, 2008 at 12:06 pmEven worse than that it sends the message to eveyone in our society that our civility standards are out the window. Cops become more aggressive, teenagers in Florida kidnap and beat a teenager and put it on the internet, and so on.
Right now this very momoent one of McCain’s talking points is to paint the Democrats (and presumably the majority of Americans) as supporters of Hamas. He’s continuing Bush’s policy of divisiveness which in my opinion is an act of aggression. And this simply has to stop. America must get it’s moral authority back, and people like Scalia and Feith are not qualified to do it.
May 11th, 2008 at 12:06 pmThe Republican elite and their corporate supporters have indeed destroyed the common morality of this nation. They have adopted a new standard of morality based upon a capitalist belief in self interest unbounded by any other restraint. It is a winner take all society in which victory must be achieved at any cost and those who fail tossed aside on the trash heap of society.
What does this have to do with torture? Torture is the ultimate expression of of perceived self interest over all else. All law is relative to those who are in the highest class.
We now see those who sanctioned torture distancing themselves from the decisions. Although the Republican elite believe in their superiority, they understand that the whole country has not been debased to their level. At heart, they were willing to indulge in true evil when they had the power. Now that their power is on the wane, they seek distance to avoid accountability.
May 11th, 2008 at 12:17 pmI’ve listened, for example, to Justice Antonin Scalia saying, if the president wants to authorize torture, there’s nothing in our constitution which stops it.
Scalia is a classic federalist. They talk about following a “literal” interpretaion of the constitution as if they are the “real” constitutionalists, but in reality it’s just an excuse to ignore the “actual intent” of the document.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
May 11th, 2008 at 12:23 pmRight Paul W, just like some people use the Bible to justify self righteousness and aggression. I will never forget Scalia saying “Torture is not cruel or unusual because it is not used as punishment”. Those are the words of a crazy man. Pure and simple.
May 11th, 2008 at 12:31 pmWhay a coincidence. I just got this from Senator Cornyn:
Thank you for contacting me about treatment of enemy combatants and prisoners of war. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.
President George W. Bush has unequivocally and repeatedly articulated and enforced a policy that rejects the use of torture. I share the President’s strong opposition to torture, and as a member of the Senate Judiciary and Armed Services Committees, I am committed to ensuring that all detainees are treated humanely and in accordance with our laws and treaty obligations.
Like all Americans, I am appalled at instances of abuse such as those that occurred at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Such acts are un-American and contrary to the dedication and professionalism of the vast majority of our military personnel. I was encouraged that the Army took decisive action immediately upon receiving complaints of prisoner abuse, and that it is in the process of prosecuting the responsible individuals. We also must remember the dedication and hard work of our many honorable men and women in uniform who are prosecuting the War on Terror with integrity.
As you know, a variety of issues will be considered during the 110th Congress, and it is important that I remain abreast of the concerns of Texans. I appreciate your interest in this matter, and you may be certain that I will continue to closely monitor U.S. policy on this issue.
I appreciate having the opportunity to represent Texans in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.
Sincerely,
JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator
How many lies can you count in this letter?
May 11th, 2008 at 12:35 pmSend the dem enablers to Gitmo with the republicans. Sitting on your hands while crime after crime is committed in front of you makes you an accessory.
Fire, prosecute and sentence the republicans then sh*tcan the AD’s.
AD=Accessory Dems.
Take back the Country. War is over, if you want it.
May 11th, 2008 at 12:41 pmIn the Arab World, a Favorable Opinion of America is in the single digits.
To be Debating the Morality of Torture, 150 years after Abraham Lincoln banned it during the civil War, is absurd.
America NEEDS to regain the Moral Highground.
May 11th, 2008 at 12:41 pmSome enterprising young journalist could make a name for himself, by asking McCain if he will honor Geneva, should Bushies be indicted during his term. A deflection by the Senator would look like he’s more interested in protecting potential war criminals who happen to be conservative republicans, than in observing international conventions. While it might be OK with neander-conservatives, it would definitely turn off independents.
May 11th, 2008 at 12:46 pmHow many lies can you count in this letter?
I stopped reading at the first one - “Thank you for contacting me”.
May 11th, 2008 at 12:49 pmThe further implication is that, according to Scalia, when it comes to the protection of people from fundamental human rights violations such as torture, the U.S. Constitution is no better than the constitution of Iran, or any brutal dictatorship, for that matter.
Or is my logic flawed?
May 11th, 2008 at 12:56 pmNo one could have predicted that administration officials would fail to take responsibility for breaking the law.
May 11th, 2008 at 1:10 pm*
Happy Mothers’ Day!
*
SAM SEDER TALKS TO PROFESSOR PHILIPPE SANDS ABOUT AMERICA’S TORTURE POLICY * Listen Here
One day before his testimony to the House Judiciary Committee Phillipe Sands reports that he has proof that Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld made a policy of torture. This includes a clip of John McCain admitting torture caused him to write false confessions- so moved was Sands he testified to the Judiciary Committee of hearing this clip on AAR!
.
that mcCAVE clip needs to be isolated and repeated… it’s late in the interview,
at just after 15:30… worth the wait…
.
sam posted a wealth of clips on this page of his site, also worth a look:
http://samsedershow.com/node/3036
especially the feingold interview…
…
i’m off to a family day…
May 11th, 2008 at 1:39 pmthe lone agnostic liberal in a sea of catholic repugs…
hope yours is better!
Poor katy. I’d rather spend the day alone — which I am. :-)
May 11th, 2008 at 2:14 pmHey, we’re nowhere NEARLY as squirmy and ethically limber as these criminal fux.
May 11th, 2008 at 2:20 pm–signed:
The Mustelidae Family
@9, Guido the Loving OBGYN Says:
…“Torture is not cruel or unusual because it is not used as punishment”. Those are the words of a crazy man. Pure and simple.
May 11th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
That depends on what the meaning of the word “crazy” is…or the word “is,” for that matter…
May 11th, 2008 at 2:24 pmThat is hilarious, tokin liberal. :-D
May 11th, 2008 at 2:29 pmThere was not a hint of recognition that anything had gone wrong, nor a hint of recognition of individual responsibility,
It is completely ridiculous for anyone to think the torture instigated at “the highest levels of the US government” was anything but intentional, premeditated, and with full knowledge of the criminality. Expecting these heinous persons to ever come to the conclusion that they did anything wrong or illegal is also completely ridiculous.
The ONLY notion of remorse for their crimes they would EVER have would be if they thought they would be held accountable in anyway, in which case the remorse is not for their criminality, but for their potential conviction and incarceration for their crimes.
Obviously, when they did/do their crimes they take care to make sure they think they are covering their tracks. That only the most psychotic among us agree with them - including, or perhaps especially the very sick Scalia, and that their case for innocence has no basis in law, morality, or precedence must be of some concern to them.
May 11th, 2008 at 3:40 pmSerious question (possibly a stupid one, I don’t know — that’s why I’m asking:)
Are there any legally valid grounds to impeach Fat Tony “The Fixer” Scalia? Realistically, as it stands now?
Or are we stuck with the creep?
(Not that it’d actually be tried, of course. Just wondering if it could be.)
May 11th, 2008 at 5:13 pmDid the Nazis do this too, or did they have more honor?
May 11th, 2008 at 5:16 pmThey can squirm all they want. After all, it’ll be good practice for when they are dangling from a rope.
May 11th, 2008 at 5:54 pmMcSame a victim of torture himself, smiles and hugs the masters as they destroy any vestige of American Integrity based on 200 Years of Struggle for Freedom and Human Rights . . . the Party of Lincoln has sunk to levels even Hitler would have to admire . . . and still gets a 28% approval! . . . who’da thunk that TORTURE was a “Family Value”? WWJT?
May 11th, 2008 at 9:40 pmThe only reason those “WAR CRIMINALS” got away this it was because of the “WEAK KNEED SISTER DEMOCRATS” in Congress. Primarily Nancy Pelosi and the so called House Leaders. I know that what they did was against the Geneva Conventions because I taught them to US Army troops at Fort Bragg and in Germany during the 1980s. The people who approved, ordered or took part in torture are all subject to trial at the Hague for “Crimes against humanity” and they know it. That is the real reason they are keeping quiet about this and trying to argue about things that don’t matter.
I have been saying since Justice Scalia first spoke about it, that he had no business making the stupid ass statements he’s made. For a Justice of the US Supreme Court to be prejudging any issue amounts to Judicial Misconduct and he should be impeached for such a reckless statement. By doing so he has put himself on record as a accessory to “War Crimes”. He forgot what happened to the Judges who approved of all of the crimes Hilter committed? They were convicted of “Crimes against Humanity” too.
Also that stupid statement by Scalia proves what I’ve said about him for years, he’s nothing for than a zealot for Republican ideas. This man has no more business on the Supreme Court as Clarence (Uncle Tom) Thomas does. Uncle Clarence has sold out African Americans time after time. Her Scalia (Nazi) is so partisan that he can’t think straight. He takes his talking point directly from Republican Propaganda (Dogma). God help us all if that little old man gets elected President and appoints another two Nazis to the Supreme Court.
May 11th, 2008 at 10:48 pmIt doesn’t matter what the Constitution or DOJ says about torture, we can’t do it. That’s it, the end.
If we’re pissing around with jumper cables and water, we might as well set up human bodies for harvesting electricity ala The Matrix, at least that would make energy.
May 11th, 2008 at 10:56 pmWhat does Scalia know about the Constitution. Seriously.
Scalia has just confessed and affirmed what Richard Nixon once said. If the President does it, it is legal. So why did Nixon resign then?
It’s the same with torture. The Army Field Manual ban torture as does the Geneva Conventions. A signing statement isn’t even mentioned in the Constitution. Why would anybody think that a signing statement was the highest law of the land? Certainly not anybody that knew anything about the Constitution.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:52 am“So it’s about individual responsibility. And there’s been an abject failure on that account.”
No.
It’s about a complete lack of accountability and open criminality in Washington DC.
It was the House majority “leader” Democrat Nancy Pelosi who said that “impeachment is off the table.” This was parroted by John Conyers, who controls (blocks) the judiciarty committee.
If impeachemnt is “off” the table, then crime is clearly on the table.
This article goes to the ridiculous length of suggestig the criminals just up and confess! Prosecute themselves!
The justice is supposed to be served to them.
This is not happening.
No US white house has ever, ever been charged with war crimes, although they are as commonplace as sex scandals.
That is naked imperialism, a sham of a republic, a sham of a democracy where the clowns in chief were never even elected in the first place — yet can commit no crime to get them kicked out!
Absurd, but true.
All this tiresome Democrat spin about everything going wrong under Bush the lesser is baloney as well. Half a million dead Iraqi babies under Clinton, and they cheer for him all over the USA.
Sham. All of it.
May 12th, 2008 at 5:38 amjust like the defendents at Nuremberg, claiming “ordnung ist ordnung!(orders are orders!) they should do the gallows dance like their Nazi predecessors.
May 12th, 2008 at 9:27 amImpeach, indict and convict before it is too late. The Bush war criminals should be publicly waterboarded daily and be made to recite, “This is not torture.”
May 13th, 2008 at 9:21 amThen they should be stripped naked, wired with electric probes, hooded, made to stand in a puddle of water while the electricity flows through them while reciting, “This is not torture.”
They are blights on civilization, their names should be forever shamed in history, and they deserve lives of hell until they make their final descent into eternal hell for the wrongs done to humanity.
Impeach/remove Scalia
June 11th, 2008 at 8:59 am