Bush Declares: We Do Not Torture, but want option for the CIA
Scott Bannon
November 07, 2005
On November 7, 2005 the President defended U.S. interrogation practices and called the treatment of terrorism suspects lawful. "We do not torture," Bush declared in response to reports of secret CIA prisons overseas.
Three times in the past week I've written about the U.S. torture policies and double-talk. Having to keep writing about this is torture.
A week ago National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley stated to the press that the U.S. would not torture and would "conduct its activities in compliance with law and international obligations."
Loud and clear President Bush has declared, "We do not torture." So, why does he want an exemption from the legislated torture ban for CIA agents?
It's a twisted game of double-talk where the administration wants to replicate the military "don't ask, don't tell" policy in intelligence gathering from prisoners.
It's not our freedom or democracy that 'they hate us for' -- it's our hypocrisy, the notion that somehow any non-American is less than deserving of the same humane treatments we demand our citizens receive.
The poor actions and words of this administration on the issue of torture, after half selling the war in Iraq on Hussein's torture of citizens and acts of inhumanity are sending a very clear message to the rest of the world and only serve to fuel the fires of hatred towards America.
Beyond the global political consequences though, I've said it before and will say it again: humanity isn't partisan or national based. Just as we teach our children not to sink to their school-yard tormentors' levels, we must not sink to the terrorist's. We are America, we are better than that.
If we're not -- they've already won.
Three times in the past week I've written about the U.S. torture policies and double-talk. Having to keep writing about this is torture.
A week ago National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley stated to the press that the U.S. would not torture and would "conduct its activities in compliance with law and international obligations."
Loud and clear President Bush has declared, "We do not torture." So, why does he want an exemption from the legislated torture ban for CIA agents?
It's a twisted game of double-talk where the administration wants to replicate the military "don't ask, don't tell" policy in intelligence gathering from prisoners.
It's not our freedom or democracy that 'they hate us for' -- it's our hypocrisy, the notion that somehow any non-American is less than deserving of the same humane treatments we demand our citizens receive.
The poor actions and words of this administration on the issue of torture, after half selling the war in Iraq on Hussein's torture of citizens and acts of inhumanity are sending a very clear message to the rest of the world and only serve to fuel the fires of hatred towards America.
Beyond the global political consequences though, I've said it before and will say it again: humanity isn't partisan or national based. Just as we teach our children not to sink to their school-yard tormentors' levels, we must not sink to the terrorist's. We are America, we are better than that.
If we're not -- they've already won.
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