Read the PDF of the letter sent to Dan Levin, then acting head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel in 2004. While some items are redacted to spare your delicate sensibilities, I think you’ll get the gist of what to do pretty quickly. Just remember like in the song — you have to be cruel to be kind!
The fax cover sheet has a brief note, “Dan, a generic description of the process.” The name of the sender, based at the CIA, has been obliterated. […] The document provides a step-by-step manual for extraordinary renditions.
[…]
None of this information is surprising. In fact it all tallies perfectly with the description of the renditions program that can be derived from the report prepared by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which used the appropriate legal designation for these techniques: “torture.”But this is an historical document, right? President Barack Obama shut down the black sites and the extraordinary renditions program immediately after taking office, right? Well, not entirely.
Why didn’t they just photocopy the Communist Chinese techniques that they’ve admitted was the sole basis of their procedure?
Back when America had real Americans in office, i.e, FDR; this would never have been allowed.
Now, all we have are draft dodgers (BushII, Cheney) and cowards (Obama).
If you haven’t noticed people, this is supposed to be America.
America is built on high Ideals, unfortunately; these high Ideals are often too high for a given generation. Those Ideals are often realized by later generations. Many generations have sacrificed and built further on those Ideals.
Generations since, and including GWB seem to be reneging on those high Ideals. GWB ignored them, misinterpreted them, and now Obama seems afraid to stand up for them.
Why, what is going on? America is not confronted by threats more arduous or dangerous then before!!
Where is my America I used to believe in? Where is my America that I served and was willing to die for?
How much more will America retreat from it Ideals in the name of higher profits, more military power, more surveillance over it’s civilians.
Is it we don’t trust any one any more, not even ourselves?
I am scared for America’s future!
But… But
We were just following orders.
# 2 noname said, on August 28th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
“Back when America had real Americans in office, i.e, FDR; this would never have been allowed.”
Are you kidding? When FDR was in power, the government rounded up Americans and shipped them out to prison camps. It was not only allowed by FDR, he actually ordered it. Get your facts straight before you argue that FDR was the pinnacle of Constitutional governance.
BTW, I am not using the bad behavior of FDR to justify the rendition program.
We should make them attend church and torture them slowly.
# 4 Benjamin, fair enough, your are correct about the interment camps.
I am outraged by us becoming an overly brutish form of government. America appears to have no concerns for any one or thing except protecting wealth of it’s wealthy citizens.
I know you repugnatons like that, I don’t.
Obama has stopped the CIA from leaning on prisoners.
He farmed it out. That way if the prisoners end up dead it isn’t our fault is it? I mean they weren’t in American custody so how can we be be at fault? Of course there’s nothing to prevent these guys from using methods the CIA wouldn’t have touched with a stick.
Looks like Obama has created a situation where it is no longer advantageous to take prisoners. Now maybe we can fight wars using the Spartan technique of taking no prisoners.
This could work.
If you had asked these men what their comrades did for torture the Red Cross agents would have thrown up. But just because they are barbaric doesn’t meant that we should reduce our standards down to theirs. But we and they should be judged equally on torture on the international scene.
Bush exported a minority of the interrogation and torture to barbaric third world countries that could exclude the news media. Obama intends to export a majority to these countries for secret barbaric treatment.
Now maybe as a Muslim and a Kenyan he was an eyewitness to brutalities and became jaded to it. Thus he would have no civilized barrier from doing the same to others. Not even to fellow leftists, much like Stalin and Robespierre.
# 10 Timuchin,
“But we and they should be judged equally on torture on the international scene.”
NO WE SHOULDN’T
That is not what America has historically been about.
America has been about breaking from the old world and starting anew. We don’t judge ourselves by their standards, we judge our self by our American ideals.
Exactly who did George Washington compare himself to, when President?
Because everything America did was new, America set the standard, not Europe, not China or any other country.
America still has much of that attitude today, but it’s being attacked and diminished.
When America stops believing in it’s Ideals, America is dead!
Saying what you do (I guess for convenience)::
“But we and they should be judged equally on torture on the international scene.”
Is saying American Ideals are dead!
What you said, sounds like George Bush, and what a looser he was.
The best I’ve heard on the subject is Matthew Alexander who actually _DID_ break terrorists.
He wrote a book by the name http://tinyurl.com/67uwok but I’ve just hear him speak.
He does a fantastic slap-down of these blowhard Jack Bauer wannabees.
Really, no need to get nasty.
If you’re dealing with some poor f__k who thinks wearing a dynamite vest is his best chance to get laid, a few kind words and an offer of privacy with a goat should pretty much cover it.
All kidding aside, if torture is the only way you can save my life, I’ll settle for being avenged. I’d rather that than have the honor of the USA sullied.
#13,
All kidding aside, if torture is the only way you can save my life, I’ll settle for being avenged. I’d rather that than have the honor of the USA sullied.
Put me on that list too.
I don’t want you pleasuring your sadistic self in my name.
#11 noname:
“When America stops believing in it’s Ideals, America is dead!”
Amen to that, brother, amen to that!
#13 Somebody:
“All kidding aside, if torture is the only way you can save my life, I’ll settle for being avenged. I’d rather that than have the honor of the USA sullied.”
#14 Mr. Fusion
“Put me on that list too.”
Sirs, I salute you! [Salutes.]
#15-
How interesting – I was wondering what exactly makes a group like this think they are worth avenging?
This disgusting policy will forever rank amongst the saddest part of American history.
# 16 Dr Dodd,
Yes I wondering something like that too, are you worth avenging?
I guess you maybe saying what they are saying in a very circular manner.
Don’t use torture to avenge me or in my name!
Good for you Dr Dodd, I guess, I can agree with that; don’t use torture to avenge me or in my name!
#18-noname-Don’t use torture to avenge me or in my name!
Although naive, I’m sure your intentions are noble. Naive because you are not the only one that would be killed in an attack.
One can glean a great deal about someone who would be willing to sacrifice possibly hundreds or even thousands of innocent people so one enemy combatant won’t be made uncomfortable.
If such an attack did happen that could have been prevented then you may rest easy because I doubt anyone would bother to avenge you.