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Tuesday, November 08, 2005

the torture question

It's a pretty sad day when the American government has secret prisons. It's also a sad day when the Vice President of the United States lobbies the United States Senate to stop them from passing a Republic-sponsored bill that bans torture. The President of the United States should never have to be on the defensive claiming in another country that "we do not torture," especially when reality is so obviously not on his side. Scott McClellan, the WH Press Secretary, was evasive, rude or non-responsive on the issue today, another sign that this Administration is not being honest or moral (video: wmp and qt).

The Crimson ran an outstanding staff editorial on this, definitely read it. Also, if you are interested in learning more about America's practice of torture during the War on Terror, I highly recommend you watch this Frontline documentary called "The Torture Question." The entire thing is available online. The documentary shows not only that we have tortured prisoners already, but that the Pentagon has encouraged and created situations in which torture is an inevitable if not direct consequence. It is truly and utterly sad.

posted by andrew golis @ 6:42 PM

2 Comments:

At 8:17 PM, Blogger deborah ho said...

Also, this excellent editorial in the Washington Post published this past summer on the ethical guidelines passed by this administration for military doctors etc: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5401577,00.html

 
At 6:35 PM, Blogger Chimaobi Amutah said...

No prisons! I feel that they fail miserably at their supposed task and need dramatic change or abolition in general. The torture in U.S. prisons (domestically and) abroad shows how the U.S. government feels and some of its highest officials feel that they are the only organizations or individuals above the law that they and their predecessors have set. The fact that Cheney is going around Congress trying to convince certain elected representatives of the U.S. populace that, under certain circumstances, torture should be allowed by the CIA is repulsive and further reason for me why justice and the U.S. government are mutually exclusive as long as the present-day ideology of being above all and everyone else pervades the mind of so few with so much power.

 

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