At
Swords Crossed:
Georgia10 writes about the Bush Administration's "outrage" over charges that it condones torture:
Despite abuses in places like the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, the American officials denied that the government systematically mistreated prisoners and they reiterated a commitment to a global ban on torture. John B. Bellinger III, the legal adviser to the State Department, who led the delegation, said that criticism of United States policy has become "so hyperbolic as to be absurd." He added: "I would ask you not to believe every allegation that you have heard."
Speaking before the United Nation's Committee Against Torture, he also reiterated the "absolute commitment" of the United States to eradicating torture globally and said the abuses that took place at Abu Ghraib were isolated incidents that have been, or will be, investigated and punished.
Oh please. Forget the facts we know about Gitmo and Abu Ghraib and detention deaths. Just listen to what THE PRESIDENT SAID:
The executive branch shall construe Title X in Division A of the Act, relating to detainees, in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President to supervise the unitary executive branch and as Commander in Chief and consistent with the constitutional limitations on the judicial power, which will assist in achieving the shared objective of the Congress and the President, evidenced in Title X, of protecting the American people from further terrorist attacks.
The President of the United States expressly reserves the right to violate a recently enacted federal law banning the use of torture (a law the President signed!), and the UN Convention on Torture, which is codified as federal law, reserving the right to order torture.
This is a lie -- "absolute commitment" of the United States to eradicating torture globally. If the United States had an absolute commitment to eradicate torture the President of the United States would NOT reserve the right to order torture.
Georgia10 says the UN will issue a report on United States' compliance with the Convention on Torture on May 19. No need to wait. The President of the United States has reserved the right to order torture. That is a violation of the Convention and federal law.