- The Great Compromise, ala, GWB, McCain and Cohorts:
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- Geneva Conventions:
- GWB claims to be worried that CIA interrogators are confused
by the rules that govern them. GWB, claimed that all he is seeking to do
is to define the Article's 'vague' provisons.
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- He said, "the standards are so vague that our professionals
won't be able to carry forth the interrogation program because they don't
want to be tried as war criminals. They don't want to break the law".
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- A prohibition contained in Common Article 3 (which is
enforceable criminally through the 1996 War Crime Act which GWB seeks to
change) forbids "outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating
and degrading treatment". Abu Ghraib certainly meets this definition.
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- The real agenda (thanks to McCain's assistance) has at
least three goals: to allow the CIA interrogators (others) to continue
in torture, as long as it doesn't "shock the conscience" (no
mention of addressing those absent any conscience, i.e. sociopaths/psychopaths
); second to provide immunity for all those interrogators, civilian and
military, who committed outrages upon detainees', and third to give
congressionally- granted immunity to senior officials for their having
ordered or encouraged field operatives to inflict degrading (many deaths
have occurred) and outright torture in the past.
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- If anyone takes the time to Google the History of the
Geneva Conventions, they will note the various men of great intellect,
who over decades, through the various Conventions, arrived at what GWB,
now sees as "vague"!
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- Think of the absolute lunacy aside from entering
into the argument, of what constitutes 'degrading and humiliating
treatment', of this man making himself, ("I'm the Decider")
the final authority, of changing history, for his own ends! He has
'decided' that his interpretation (or really others) of the Conventions
(absent any discussion or debates) is Gospel. This from a man who
is quoted saying:
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- "I glance at the headlines just to kind of get a
flavor for what's moving. I rarely read the stories, and get briefed by
people who are probably read the news themselves". Sept 21, 2003
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- "I'm the commander see, I don't need to explain
I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting
thing about being president". As quoted in Bob Woodward's Bush at
War
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- "We need an energy bill that encourages consumption"
Sept 23, 2002
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- "This foreign policy stuff is a little frustrating"
April 23, 2002
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- "Do you have blacks, too?" to Brazilian
President Fernando Cardoso, Nov 8, 2001
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- "For every fatal shooting there were roughly three
non-fatal shootings. And, folks, this is unacceptable in America. It's
just unacceptable. And we're going to do something about it". May
14, 2001
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- "I don't know why you're talking about Sweden.
They're the neutral one. They don't have an arm". During a Dec 2002
Oval Office meeting with Tom Lantos, as reported in the New York Times
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- "I'm the master of low expectations. I'm also not
very analytical. You know I don't spend a lot of time thinking about myself,
about why I do things". aboard Air Force One, June 4, 2003
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- "If this were a Dictatorship, it'd be a heck of
a lot easier. Just so long as I'm the Dictator". Dec 16, 2000
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- "I trust God speaks through me. Without that, I
couldn't do my job". (No comment on God's language skills JM) speaking
with an Amish group 2004
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- The above is a small example of the intellect that found
the Geneva Conventions "vague". Is it any wonder
I rest my case. JM
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