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Title: Former JAG lawyer: Only America 'parses' torture
Source:
Raw Story
URL Source: http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Fmr_J ... r_US_denying_torture_0118.html
Published: Jan 18, 2008
Author: David Edwards and Nick Juliano
Post Date: 2008-01-18 14:20:41 by robin
Keywords: None
Views: 149
Comments: 5
Filed by David Edwards and Nick Juliano The United States has lost so much of its credibility and prestige on the world stage because of its heavy-handed interrogation tactics that President Bush's insistence that US interrogators don't torture holds as much water as "Iran denying it has a nuclear weapons program," a retired Navy lawyer says. There is a growing perception around the globe that the CIA's alleged use of tactics such as waterboarding puts the US alongside some of the very regimes it is fighting in ignoring fundamental human rights. The latest valley of US credibility came this week when a Canadian government document put the US on a watch list of countries where prisoners could be tortured. Others on the list included Iran, Syria, China and Afghanistan. Navy Lt. Cmdr Charles Swift, who defended Guantanamo Bay detainee Salim Ahmed Hamdan, said the Canadian document demonstrates the extent to which even the US's closest allies are wary of its stance in the war on terror. He cited warnings from former Secretary of State Colin Powell and others that Guantanamo Bay needed to be closed to improve foreign relations. "When they go into a diplomatic meeting ... it's the first thing on the agenda," Swift said. "It starts to jeopardizes cooperation in intelligence gathering, police work, and ultimately potentially extradition and other issues." The Canadian training manual that warned of potential US torture mentioned Guantanamo Bay and invoked US interrogation practices such as "forced nudity, isolation and sleep deprivation," although Canada's foreign minister said the documents conclusions do not represent official government policy. Swift said there were credible reports that those practices as well as waterboarding have been used by US interrogators, which is part of the reason the US has so little credibility. "In the world community, it's ... like Iran denying they have a nuclear weapons program," he said. "The question always is, 'Well let us inspect it. Let us take a look at it.' The country replies, 'No no, that's national security; we're not going to do that.' And people become suspect." Swift compared the US to other countries, "We may parse it legally, they are not in Europe or Canada or Great Britain. They call it for what it is, torture. This debate, which for us, continues politically in Congress is over in Europe. It's over in Canada. We're losing it there, it's done." This video is from MSNBC's Countdown, broadcast January 17, 2008.Former JAG lawyer: Only America 'parses' torture
01/18/2008 @ 9:49 am
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#1. To: robin (#0)
There was a good article about Commander Swift in Vanity Fair a few months back. He is one brave man.
To reason, indeed, he was not in the habit of attending. His mode of arguing, if it is to be so called, was one not uncommon among dull and stubborn persons, who are accustomed to be surrounded by their inferiors. He asserted a proposition; and, as often as wiser people ventured respectfully to show that it was erroneous, he asserted it again, in exactly the same words, and conceived that, by doing so, he at once disposed of all objections. - Macaulay, "History of England," Vol. 1, Chapter 6, on James II.
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
echo that. when you stand up to the evil ones & their supporters, then you are voluntarilly asking for a huge amount of opposition to you. they'll attack your reputation, your ability to work, etc. that's why so many are silent, they know what wrath would be sent to them.
1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
It's only here that we parse words about it. Our evening news is usually so insular. This was a refreshing change.
Ron Paul for President - Join a Ron Paul Meetup group today!
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
#2. To: robin (#0)
#3. To: aristeides (#1)
He is one brave man.
#4. To: ghostdogtxn (#2)
The rest of the world recognizes what we're becoming.
The Revolution will not be televised!
#5. To: robin (#0)
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