The respected Massachusetts-based group Physicians for Human Rights has published a report finding that 11 former detainees showed clear signed of torture in medical examinations following their release from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Afghanistan.. The detainees were released for lack of evidence of terrorism.
The 121-page report details evidence of torture, including beatings, electric shock, sleep deprivation, sexual humiliation, sodomy and scores of other abuses. Retired U.S. Major Gen. Antonio Taguba, who led the Army’s investigation into the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal in 2003, wrote the foreword to the report and stated “There is no longer any doubt that the current administration committed war crimes. The only question is whether those who ordered torture will be held to account.”
The record on the American torture program is now comprehensive and unavoidable, including the recent disclosure that the Administration began work on the torture program long before any inquiry from the field, here — a direct contradiction of earlier statements from the Administration.
Despite the fact that interrogators and officials now admit to using torture, here, Congress continues to feign interest while withholding any substantive action against those who ordered a torture program.
For the full story, click here.
What is most striking is that these men were released for lack of evidence of terrorism. A recent study showed that the Administration continued to hold men for years after it became clear that they were innocent, here.
Jill:
Sorry. Patty C and I are like code breakers in WW2. But instead of Navajo we’re using a language those macho Bushies would never think of speaking.
You two quit that foreign jabber. This here’s AMERICA and don’t forget it!
Patty C:
Je suis en retard pour Law and Order: CI. Bonsoir.
de rien 😉
Patty C:
That’s “freedom” fry to the uneducated neo-con. Merci beaucoup!
French fry, mespo?
Big Al:
“A better fit for you I am sure. Try France. Coward central. They don’t have to balls to torture anyone.”
**********************
One more item to prove how hopelessly blind to history your thinking has become:
“General’s Confessions Of Torture Stun France
By Barry James
Published: SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2001
PARIS: A retired French Army general’s confession that he and others tortured and murdered victims as a matter of routine during the Algerian civil war is shaking the highest level of state in France, with President Jacques Chirac stating Friday that he was “horrified” by the revelations and disposed to punish the 83-year-old former officer.
Mr. Chirac ordered the removal of General Paul Aussaresses from the Legion of Honor, an award for service or achievement, and said he had asked the defense minister, Alain Richard, to propose possible disciplinary action. A statement from the Elysee Palace said the president was horrified by the disclosures and that nothing could justify such acts.”
That’s simply to disprove your naive theory that only we have psychopaths running our intelligence gathering. You may even note the distinction in consequence between the actions of a civilized, humane Administration and our own. And one final word from history: the French had “the balls” (as you so inelegantly stated) to turn the tide at Yorktown thus winning our independence, and to spread their influence over most of the Western World from the age of Charlemagne until WW1. You’d find little support for your condescending derision of the French fighting spirit among the American Expeditionary Force who fought alongside them during the early spring and summer of 1918 culminating in the decisive Battle of Amiens which signaled the end of Germany’s aggression. Likewise, for the brave resistance fighters in WW2 and Charles de Gaulle’s army in exile.
By why waste facts on those who will not see. Bask in your ignorance of history and current affairs.
Big Al:
“A person who airs his countries dirty laundry in public and who criticizes our government for torturing these animals that want us dead to get info that may save American lives. You have no idea what a patriot is.”
******************
translation: A patriot to Big Al is someone who is a liar, a jingoist,and one who suppresses his reason and morality to save his skin and that of his countrymen. Concentration camps are the necessary result of such warped thinking. Sounds very much like our Teutonic brothers circa 1939. Americans are a different breed whether Big Al knows it or not. Maybe Teddy Roosevelt, a man’s man by anyone’s definition even to these Cretans who think martial valor is the only kind, said it best:
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.” –Theodore Roosevelt
Now tell me Big Al, the man who stormed San Juan Hill,and who presided over a golden age of this Nation just called you and everyone like you a traitor. Who am I to believe? You or a true patriot?
By your definition Jill, I am sure I’m not. A person who airs his countries dirty laundry in public and who criticizes our government for torturing these animals that want us dead to get info that may save American lives. You have no idea what a patriot is. A patriot puts his country and it’s citizens FIRST. A concept foreign to you I’m sure. You worship your liberal church more than your country. You oughtta try Europe. A better fit for you I am sure. Try France. Coward central. They don’t have to balls to torture anyone.
Big Al,
You are not a patriot. Not even close.
http://patriotfiles.org/AMessageFromTheGeneral.htm
STOP THE TORTURE!
Execute them all today!:)
Bob, Esq.,
My comment “Hahaha, too funny there are 2 Jakes. No wonder I had no idea what the hell you were talking about.”
Your comment: Convenient.
I made it perfectly clear very early on that there was another Jake posting. Why do you think I kept asking what you were talking about? You were attempting to engage me and I kept reading MY posts to see what you were referring to.
If those were my comments I would defend them, but they are not.
Esq.
Noun 1. Esq – a title of respect for a member of the English gentry ranking just below a knight; placed after the name
Whatever Mr. EGO!
Sincerely,
Sir Jake
“Hahaha, too funny there are 2 Jakes. No wonder I had no idea what the hell you were talking about.”
Convenient.
jake:
I think your polling comments are on point. Most people would vote for Lassie if she were running against an incumbent. But it’s always the party in the White House that takes the hit.
Bob, Esq.,
Hahaha, too funny there are 2 Jakes. No wonder I had no idea what the hell you were talking about.
I made this comment right after I noticed the 2 Jakes:
1, June 18, 2008 at 10:20 am
FYI: There are 2 “Jake’s” on this. At least we have similar views.
After reading his comment again, I have to say we do not have similar views. He is a little out there.
Once again Jake,
Your methods & ideals aid and abet the first and foremost enemy of the constitution.
Thus…
I find your lack of fealty greatly disturbing.
http://www.76house.com/history_tavern.html
Jake:
“My reply: What words????? Please site your source.”
Why Jake, you’re getting awfully fussy over a sarcastic aside directed at your comment on June 18, 2008 at 10:10 am.
Ain’t ya at least gonna rebut a major or minor premise?
http://jonathanturley.org/2008/06/18/medical-reports-finds-evidence-of-torture-of-detainees-later-found-to-be-innocent/#comment-14876
And ya never did tell us why you’re so eager to have ‘the terrorists’ like you.
mespo727272,
Excerpt from Washington Post article:
Poll Watch
Harris Interactive reports: “The latest Harris Poll finds the nation in a foul political mood. President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice all register their worst ratings ever. More people than ever also think the country is on the wrong track. . . .
“President Bush’s latest ratings are 24 percent positive and fully 75 percent negative. Previously, his worst numbers were 26 percent positive and 72 percent negative in April of this year. His ratings are substantially worse than those of any president, except for Jimmy Carter (22%-77% in July 1980), since Harris first started measuring them in 1963.
“Vice President Cheney’s ratings are even worse, 18 percent positive and 74 percent negative, compared to his previous low of 21 percent positive, 74 percent negative last July.”
My comments:
Then on the last page of the article I clicked on the Harris Interactive Poll and read the report. The next paragraph in the article should have included the following paragraph from this report, just to keep things in perspective. In my eyes this totally discredits the entire article. What else was left out to fit the agenda??
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=915
Next paragraph in the report:
“However, this dismal news for the administration has done nothing to help the Democrats. Most people seem to wish “a plague on all your houses”. Congress, which of course is controlled by the Democrats, gets its worst ratings ever, only 13 percent positive and fully 83 percent negative. Its previous low point was in December of last year when it was rated 17 percent positive and 79 percent negative. And, Speaker Pelosi’s ratings have fallen to 24 percent positive, 57 percent negative compared to her previous low of 25 percent positive and 61 percent negative in February.”
I just heard an interview with Philippe Sands, author of: Torture Team.
He was on npr’s program, Terry Gross. The link is below. This is a very clear discussion that takes on just about every pro-torture talking point, most especially the usefulness of “harsh” interrogation techniques. He also says that cheney and friends (including the lawyers) may pardon themselves or use MCA to adsolve themselves from prosecution in the U.S. but they cannot be held harmless in international courts. I believe he was interviewed by Bill Moyers as well.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91684540