Bush In 2003: Prosecute Me For Torture

Please read to the bottom

Official proclamation, June 2003:

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
June 26, 2003

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

Today, on the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the United States declares its strong solidarity with torture victims across the world. Torture anywhere is an affront to human dignity everywhere. We are committed to building a world where human rights are respected and protected by the rule of law.

Freedom from torture is an inalienable human right. The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment, ratified by the United States and more than 130 other countries since 1984, forbids governments from deliberately inflicting severe physical or mental pain or suffering on those within their custody or control. Yet torture continues to be practiced around the world by rogue regimes whose cruel methods match their determination to crush the human spirit. Beating, burning, rape, and electric shock are some of the grisly tools such regimes use to terrorize their own citizens. These despicable crimes cannot be tolerated by a world committed to justice....

The United States is committed to the world-wide elimination of torture and we are leading this fight by example. I call on all governments to join with the United States and the community of law-abiding nations in prohibiting, investigating, and prosecuting all acts of torture and in undertaking to prevent other cruel and unusual punishment. I call on all nations to speak out against torture in all its forms and to make ending torture an essential part of their diplomacy. I further urge governments to join America and others in supporting torture victims' treatment centers, contributing to the UN Fund for the Victims of Torture, and supporting the efforts of non-governmental organizations to end torture and assist its victims.

Source

Thought this was interesting so I posted it, i know he didn't directly say to prosecute his administration at the time, but according to the findings of these new memos, he is talking about his administration... i think it's kind of hypocritical to be saying this and then doing another thing, but hey that's politics baby.

what are your thoughts?

[edit on 24-4-2009 by baseball101]

Beating, burning, rape, and electric shock are some of the grisly tools such regimes use to terrorize their own citizens. These despicable crimes cannot be tolerated by a world committed to justice

The United States do not use these techniques for interrogation.

We use simple college pranks like waterboarding, and putting insects into cells with detainees. Effective interrogation techniques...but hardly torture as described above.

reply to post by RRconservative


You're missing the part "are some of".

Also, we DO rape our prisoners, especially if we have female prisoners.

reply to post by RRconservative

We use simple college pranks like waterboarding, and putting insects into cells with detainees. Effective interrogation techniques...but hardly torture as described above.

Spoken like Rush Limbaugh himself.

Except that where you're wrong is:

A senior official in the Bush justice department said for the first time today that the controversial interrogation tactic is currently illegal.

U.S.A. Admits waterboard is illegal

referencing the Tokyo Trials, officially known as the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. After World War II, an international coalition convened to prosecute Japanese soldiers charged with torture. At the top of the list of techniques was water-based interrogation, known variously then as ‘water cure,’ ‘water torture’ and ‘waterboarding,’ according to the charging documents. It simulates drowning.” Politifact went on to report, “A number of the Japanese soldiers convicted by American judges were hanged, while others received lengthy prison sentences or time in labor camps.” See full article here

The U.S.A. prosecutes foreign commanders for waterboarding US soldiers



And ultimately, you also have common sense:

Common sense says that if Waterboarding was nothing to be ashamed of, and was nothing illegal, then why did it take Barack Obama releasing the 'top secret' memo's proving that Bush said "go ahead and do it" ??