Nine Republican Senators (Kyl, Bond, Sessions, Burr, Chambliss, Coburn, Cornyn, Grassley, and Hatch) have written a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder urging him to ignore violations of the law and not appoint a special prosecutor to investigate those who authorized and committed torture.
Can citizens no longer expect United States senators to stand up for American values, the rule of law, and our troops and veterans?
The nine senators know that torture is illegal because the Senate ratified the Convention Against Torture (CAT)that obligates the U.S.government to conduct a "prompt and impartial investigation" and "submit the case to competent authorities for the purpose of prosecution." The federal anti-torture statute, 18 USC Sec. 2340A, criminalizes torture and the conspiracy to commit torture.
Nine Republican senators (Kyl, Bond, Sessions, Burr, Chambliss, Coburn, Cornyn, Grassley, and Hatch)have written a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder urging him not to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate torture by the American government. (Most of the nine senators are not vets)
The letter is a betrayal of American values, the rule of law and
our veterans and troops.
Almost all troops learn in basic training that torture is immoral, illegal, and ineffective. Veterans know that torture acts as a recruiting tool for terrorists with the result that more troops are killed and maimed.
President Reagan signed the Convention Against Torture (CAT) that was ratified by the United States Senate in 1994. The treaty obligates the U.S. government to conduct a "prompt and impartial investigation" and "submit the case to competent authorities for the purpose of prosecution." The federal anti-torture statute, 18 USC Sec. 2340A, criminalizes torture and the conspiracy to commit torture and creates jurisdiction in the U.S. courts.
Contrary to the view of the nine senators expressed in their letter to Attorney General Holder, ignoring violations of law by excusing torture harms our legal and moral standing and thereby increases the possibility of future terrorist attacks.
Like they have done on health care, the Republican senators are spreading misinformation, which the media repeats. There is no persuasive evidence in the public record confirming their assertion that torture was absolutely vital to capturing terrorists and preventing attacks on the United States. In fact, A May 20, 2005 Memo by Justice Department Principal Deputy Attorney General, Steven G. Bradbury to CIA General Counsel John Rizzo rebuts the notion. In fact, torture most often garners time consuming, unreliable information.
Instead of standing up for our troops and American values by demanding accountability,the nine Republican senators apparently want to politicize the issue.
Call the nine senators to task and call out the media when the senators' misinformation about torture is repeated.