You know there are actually a few heroes who worked for this administration. They aren’t publicity hounds nor are they pursuing some political angle. They are people whom you might disagree with on debatable issues but nonetheless they believe in doing the right thing.
One of them is Alberto J. Mora, formerly the general counsel (lawyer) for the Navy:
Back in Haynes’s office, on the third floor of the Pentagon, there was a stack of papers chronicling a private battle that Mora had waged against Haynes and other top Administration officials, challenging their tactics in fighting terrorism. Some of the documents are classified and, despite repeated requests from members of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, have not been released. One document, which is marked “secret” but is not classified, is a twenty-two-page memo written by Mora. It shows that three years ago Mora tried to halt what he saw as a disastrous and unlawful policy of authorizing cruelty toward terror suspects.
Read the entire article.
This guy Mora, no hippy liberal and definitely no publicity hound, simply did his utmost best to prevent the American government from torturing people. He was unsuccessful and thwarted by higher-ups but his valiant effort should be recognized.
Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, they can all disagree on issues like taxation or health care and the like, but when it comes to torture it should be unanimous consent that this is wrong, always and forevermore. The fact that is it not makes me sick to my stomach.
Since he doesn’t like his photograph published, I’m going to go ahead and put it up here once again. I hope he chokes on his daily bowl of gazpacho.
And let’s not forget the odious Torture Master John Yoo:
On February 6th, Mora invited Yoo to his office, in the Pentagon, to discuss the opinion. Mora asked him, “Are you saying the President has the authority to order torture?”
“Yes,” Yoo replied.
“I don’t think so,” Mora said.
My hat’s off to you Mr. Mora for doing the right thing. I only wish a few more people had your courage.
Crossposted from Flogging the Simian
