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Torture memo gave White House broad powers

  2. jhaber
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This memo gave the White House the ability to justify torture of terrorist suspects. What about all that talk about us being better than our enemies and being a better people than our enemies? If we resort to torture, don't we lose the moral high ground?

This is a very interesting article, read more at the associated link.
jhaber

9 responses // Torture memo gave White House broad powers

  • watch this comment being used here, here, here and here
    Unfortunately, I think this memo confirms what many assumed was the case, as much as we all wished it wasn't. Suffice it to say, the next president will have a lot to do in terms of reestablishing this country's moral standing...
    Tori
  • watch this comment being used here, here, here and here
    http://current.com/items/88881652_ex_terror_detainee_sa...
    There is a similar debate about torture happening on another thread on Current. I for one am embarrassed by the double standard we have for "those people" when it comes to justice and human rights.

    "All men are created equal."

    Do we believe that or not?

    How can we export our democracy, our laws and our morality to the rest of the world if we refuse to treat other people by the same standards we demand for ourselves ourselves?

    This double standard is unacceptable and plainly portrays us as hypocrites to the rest of the world. We preach to other countries that they should not be so cruel, or petty or deny people equality under the law -- and yet we feel free to do that to anyone we deem "inferior"?

    The gold standard of US international law should be: it doesn't matter what race you are, what religion, what gender or where your nation of origin is -- we will treat you by the exact same standards we treat ourselves. No better and certainly no worse.

    If it's illegal (or morally unacceptable) to detainee a US citizen in an open air cage (chained to the ground) without being formally charged with a crime for YEARS and to also deny them reasonable access to legal counsel and deny them the right to view the evidence being presented against them -- then, by God, it should be unacceptable for us to treat anyone else that way. There is one set of standards for us and a seperate standard for "them."

    What does it say to the world that we think it's perfectly okay to treat citizens of Middle Eastern countries that way, but would be offended at the idea if "one of ours" were treated that way in a Middle Eastern country? We raise hell every time "one of our own" is treated unfairly in Mexico or China -- yet we turn around and use those exact same tactics against whoever we deem to be an enemy (a very loose term that seems to apply to anyone that questions Bush and his grand vision of a Pax Americana)

    It sends the clear message that we're hypocrites, obviously, but it also conveys so clearly that we don't value the lives of "those people" that much.

    And they get the message!

    You can't act like this without getting blowback.

    How are we supposed to be able to broker cease fires between warring religious militas -- or supervise a coalition government in Iraq -- if none of the parties involved trust us?
    crob80227
  • our country is going down the sh*tter... there's nothing else i can say about everything they're doing, their little flag-burning amendment, the whole Venezuela on the terrorist list dilemma, the diminishing of American's rights, and now torturing. I'm telling you, it isn't right. This is the best thing on Current that I've seen now, by the way. Thank you for shedding some light on a serious issue.
    Lajaconde345
  • lajaconde345 - thanks for the feedback...I do think more people need to pay attention to news stories like this.
    jhaber
  • Great story, but I had a hard time focusing with the female computer voice skipping, for what I can only assume was the "computer voice effect".
    recommended by  jade_azul16
    iamthecheese
  • yeah...that wasn't me. if you want to read more you can check it out at www.iconflict.com where there is more on this and other similar issues.
    jhaber
  • this headline took on a new meaning when I read it aloud in my Frank Sinatra voice...
    ArtisGilmoreHOF
  • BUSH is a war criminal and will go down in history as such.

    No $600 tax rebate check is going to make anyone forget the disgusting levels to which him and his grotesque administration sank.

    See you in hell you crooks!

    Oh wait, no I won't cause I don't deserve to go, you bastards on the other hand...

    Anyone that agrees, check out ZEITGEIST!!!!! (if you haven't already.)

    www.zeitgeistmovie.com

    Watch what they are REALLY trying to do, right under your Starbucks drinking watch...
    onechance
  • I believe that we already lost the moral ground the moment Bush and his cabinet lied to begin this unjust war in the first place. The longer we stay there, less chance we have of reaching a peaceful resolution.
    lifestudentno83

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