Monday, April 14, 2008

Administration Leaders Approved Torture Specifics, Ridiculed Dissent

Last week ABC reported 'Principals' OK'd Harsh Tactics. That is that the leaders of the Bush administration personally discussed and approved specific torture tactics to be used by the CIA.

"In dozens of top-secret talks and meetings in the White House, the most senior Bush administration officials discussed and approved specific details of how high-value al Qaeda suspects would be interrogated by the Central Intelligence Agency, sources tell ABC News."

"At the time, the [National Security Council's] Principals Committee included Vice President Cheney, former National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell, as well as CIA Director George Tenet and Attorney General John Ashcroft. As the national security adviser, Rice chaired the meetings, which took place in the White House Situation Room and were typically attended by most of the principals or their deputies."

"Then-Attorney General Ashcroft was troubled by the discussions. He agreed with the general policy decision to allow aggressive tactics and had repeatedly advised that they were legal. But he argued that senior White House advisers should not be involved in the grim details of interrogations, sources said. According to a top official, Ashcroft asked aloud after one meeting: 'Why are we talking about this in the White House? History will not judge this kindly.'"

Digby is shocked. So is Tristero: "Should Bush, et al immediately be impeached and removed from office for these and other heinous activities? Should he and the others stand trial? Of course they should, it goes without saying."

Digby updates with some more reports: "whenever Powell or Armitage sought to question prisoner treatment issues, they were forced to endure what our source characterizes as "around the table, coarse, vulgar, frat-boy bully remarks about what these tough guys would do if THEY ever got their hands on prisoners...."

Honestly what were these people thinking? They've never served in the military. They have no medical, psychological or interrogation experience beyond perhaps being hazed in a fraternity, and they are the ones deciding how to get information from high value prisoners ostensibly to save lives? The two military people are ridiculed and the nation's top lawyer is thinking we should be having these discussions in a different building. And Congress does nothing and the press barely reports it (no questions on the topic in 3 press briefings). I wonder if even Jon Stewart will cover it, even he couldn't make this funny.

Meanwhile I hear on Meet the Press that Powell is the obvious choice for McCain's running mate. I've previously heard Rice (and she seems to be interested even if McCain isn't). The question for McCain shouldn't be "How do you feel about torture?" the question should be "What will you do to those that have approved torture?"

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