The Tortured Legacy of George W. Bush
Josh Harding
April 28, 2008
As we come to the twilight of the George W. Bush presidency, many are already calling him the worst president in American history. From starting a war under false pretenses, circumventing laws in order to monitor communications without the proper oversight, producing runaway budget deficits, among other things, it´s hard to disagree, although a little perspective might be in order before making a final judgment. Of all the things that the Bush administration has done, however, the most grievous act that has shamed not only his legacy, but tarnished the good reputation of our country, is his use of torture in prosecuting his War on Terror.
President Bush has told us "We do not torture." Nevertheless, his inner-circle met to approve various methods of torture to use on detainees, including waterboarding (1). Since the State Department classified waterboarding as torture when it is used by Tunisia (2), the argument that it´s not torture when done by the United States is duplicitous.
Unfortunately, waterboarding is not the only method of torture used during President Bush´s reign. Since taking over as Commander-in-Chief, our government has also initiated beatings, electric shock, and sleep deprivation on suspects, while exposing them to extreme temperatures and hanging them from ceilings (3). Apparently when those methods don´t work, our interrogators resort to threatening prisoners with firearms and sexual assault, as is the case where an American soldier was observed sodomizing a female detainee (4).
We removed Saddam in part because of his crimes against humanity (at least this is what we were told after the WMD argument fell apart). President Bush said "the way to defeat hatred and tyranny and oppression is to spread freedom (5)." How ironic that one of the ways we´re fighting the evil-doers and "spreading freedom" is by using the same type of techniques that lead us to condemn oppressive regimes around the globe. Under Bush, we have disregarded the rights of due process that we rightfully condemn our enemies for when they do the same.
That will surely offend right-wing "patriots." How can a comparison possibly be made to what Bush has done, and the oppressive regimes of America´s adversaries? What´s offensive to me is how much Bush has soiled the reputation of this great country to even possibly bring on such a comparison. President Bush´s "enhanced interrogation techniques" fly in the face of what the United States has historically stood for.
According to George Washington, for US soldiers to torture prisoners and treat them with no dignity would "bring shame, disgrace and ruin to themselves and their country (6)." That mindset is a reason why this country was so highly revered at one time. It´s one of the main aspects that put America above all others.
Now thanks to the two terms of George W. Bush, our government has started down a dark road that disregards the principles the United States was founded on, all for a dubious reward (7). Will any of our presidential nominees have the will to restore America´s reputation and dignity?
1. http://www.journalinquirer.com/articles/2008/04/16/national_and_world/doc47ff773f8d402596499259.txt
2. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61700.htm
3. http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0816,our-very-own-axis-of-evil,411810,4.html
4. http://www.amconmag.com/2007/2007_07_30/article.html
5. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/debatereferee/debate_0930.html
6. http://www.antiwar.com/blog/2007/12/24/george-washington-no-torture-on-my-watch/
7. http://www.alternet.org/rights/28585/
President Bush has told us "We do not torture." Nevertheless, his inner-circle met to approve various methods of torture to use on detainees, including waterboarding (1). Since the State Department classified waterboarding as torture when it is used by Tunisia (2), the argument that it´s not torture when done by the United States is duplicitous.
Unfortunately, waterboarding is not the only method of torture used during President Bush´s reign. Since taking over as Commander-in-Chief, our government has also initiated beatings, electric shock, and sleep deprivation on suspects, while exposing them to extreme temperatures and hanging them from ceilings (3). Apparently when those methods don´t work, our interrogators resort to threatening prisoners with firearms and sexual assault, as is the case where an American soldier was observed sodomizing a female detainee (4).
We removed Saddam in part because of his crimes against humanity (at least this is what we were told after the WMD argument fell apart). President Bush said "the way to defeat hatred and tyranny and oppression is to spread freedom (5)." How ironic that one of the ways we´re fighting the evil-doers and "spreading freedom" is by using the same type of techniques that lead us to condemn oppressive regimes around the globe. Under Bush, we have disregarded the rights of due process that we rightfully condemn our enemies for when they do the same.
That will surely offend right-wing "patriots." How can a comparison possibly be made to what Bush has done, and the oppressive regimes of America´s adversaries? What´s offensive to me is how much Bush has soiled the reputation of this great country to even possibly bring on such a comparison. President Bush´s "enhanced interrogation techniques" fly in the face of what the United States has historically stood for.
According to George Washington, for US soldiers to torture prisoners and treat them with no dignity would "bring shame, disgrace and ruin to themselves and their country (6)." That mindset is a reason why this country was so highly revered at one time. It´s one of the main aspects that put America above all others.
Now thanks to the two terms of George W. Bush, our government has started down a dark road that disregards the principles the United States was founded on, all for a dubious reward (7). Will any of our presidential nominees have the will to restore America´s reputation and dignity?
1. http://www.journalinquirer.com/articles/2008/04/16/national_and_world/doc47ff773f8d402596499259.txt
2. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61700.htm
3. http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0816,our-very-own-axis-of-evil,411810,4.html
4. http://www.amconmag.com/2007/2007_07_30/article.html
5. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/debatereferee/debate_0930.html
6. http://www.antiwar.com/blog/2007/12/24/george-washington-no-torture-on-my-watch/
7. http://www.alternet.org/rights/28585/