Torture Didn't Work - Progress Pond

So, it looks like Diane Feinstein’s Senate Intelligence Committee is going to release a report sometime this summer that concludes that we didn’t learn shit from torturing people. We only know about this because the guy in charge of torturing people, Jose Rodriguez, has been going all over the place, including on 60 Minutes, claiming that the only reason that we found bin-Laden is because we tortured the crap out of someone. That assertion was too much to take for someone involved with the Senate investigation and they went leaking to Reuters. Jose Rodriguez is the guy who ordered the destruction of all the torture porn we had on video tape. He walks free because no one crosses the CIA, especially the guys who don’t give a damn about slamming people into walls or beating people’s legs to a pulp and leaving them to die. Bush and Cheney ordered this. It’s obscene that the Senate has been investigating the effectiveness of their order. What if it had worked? What then? We legalize torture?

I expect the Republicans on the Intelligence Committee to say the report is “politicized” and refuse to sign it. They never take responsibility for anything.

15 Comments

Phil Perspective on May 17, 2012 at 1:13 am

I suggest people not read the comments over at The Hill. You’ll lower your IQ by ten points. The stupid is that strong.

BooMan on May 17, 2012 at 9:46 am

Indeed.

Oui on May 17, 2012 at 2:09 am

Rendition Timeline

October 1994 U.N. Convention Against Torture

The United Nations Convention Against Torture goes into force in the United States. The U.N. convention, signed a decade earlier, bans the transfer of a prisoner to another country where there are “substantial grounds” that he may face torture. The U.S. Congress, in ratifying the treaty, orders that “substantial grounds” are defined as “more likely than not” that the prisoner will be tortured. The convention potentially makes renditions to other countries a crime under U.S. law.

Under President Clinton, the CIA launches a systematic covert program of “extraordinary” rendition, the transfer of suspected Islamist terrorists to foreign countries. The Clinton administration is responding to fears of a growing transnational threat from Osama bin Laden and other well-organized Sunni extremists in Afghanistan, the Balkans and Egypt. Among this program’s creators is CIA veteran Michael Scheuer.

Mapping the Black Sites

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

henry211 on May 17, 2012 at 3:19 am

soa consultant
—
business integration

Oui on May 17, 2012 at 6:13 am

.
War Crimes Tribunal in Malaysia Finds Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld Guilty of Torture in Guantánamo and Iraq

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

Oui on May 17, 2012 at 7:37 am

Charges of Afghan Army Torture Prevent British Detainee Transfer (Stickler)

(Informed Comment) – British troops have been banned from transferring suspected Taliban prisoners to the Afghan authorities because of claims of torture by local forces. The move, which follows a ruling by the British High Court, is a blow to Nato countries that want to formalise their detainee transfer process, and potentially throws the UK’s strategy for leaving Helmand by the end of 2014 into disarray.

It is a breach of international law to transfer prisoners to the custody of another state where they may face a risk of torture. To date, NATO forces have attempted to comply with their human rights obligations by obtaining written assurances from the Afghan government that torture will not take place. These assurances are known as memorandums of understanding, or MOUs.

The High Court banned transfers to the Afghan National Directorate of Security in Kabul following claims of systematic abuse.

Last year a joint investigation by the Bureau and the New Statesman magazine revealed that despite condemnation by the UN that such MOUs are `utterly meaningless’, the world’s most powerful military nations were attempting to undermine 60 years of the Geneva Convention and codify the use of MOUs under international law.

Strategic Partnership – Gen. John R. Allen comments following Parwan MOU signing

Ottawa anticipated Afghan torture allegations

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

Ten Bears on May 17, 2012 at 8:09 am

Hhistory will mark the appointment in the face of losses of both the electoral and popular vote of a dynastic AWOL frat-boy with limited education, no experience and questionable sexuality by an ideologically stacked activist court to the highest office in the land as the End of “America”.

Yes Geov, it is a cheap shot – what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Rule number six (maybe seven) of Rules for Radicals is Ridicule: put it back in their faces. I’m not one of you lefties so I won’t use “us” or “we”, but I am a amongst many other things a firefighter, knowing that you can only fight fire with fire. This is how the reich-wingers treat you and everyone else, and the only way you can successfully fight it is turn it around and put it back in their faces.

Sometimes I think you lefties are as drunk on the Ambien, Prozac, Viagra and crotch-shots on Fox Kool-Aid as the bare footed rubes. Your protestation distracts from the point of the statement: “America” is over, and has bee since December 12 2000. Instead of arguing over semantics, or cheap shots, we should be having a frank discussion of how we are going to ensure the survival of our grandchildren.

joe from Lowell on May 17, 2012 at 12:30 pm

I am a amongst many other things a firefighter, knowing that you can only fight fire with fire.

God, I hope you’re not really a firefighter.
- BooMan on May 17, 2012 at 12:36 pm
  
  Because we all know gasoline works better than fire.

Brendan Skwire on May 17, 2012 at 9:20 am

you need to stop looking backward.

Oui on May 17, 2012 at 11:38 am

.
With Obama we can look forward in so many ways.

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
- Brendan Skwire on May 17, 2012 at 12:44 pm
  
  what did Obama have to do with the John Yoo decision?
  Nothing so far as I can see.
  
  On the other two items: I am glad the NDAA Obama signed hit a wall. And I have nothing good to say about drones.
  - Oui on May 17, 2012 at 2:48 pm
    
    Amicus brief – DOJ to the Rescue… of John Yoo
    
    "But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
    - Brendan Skwire on May 17, 2012 at 6:45 pm
      
      thanks. That’s really infuriating.
      
      What’s sad is the GOP would do nothing different.
  - Oui on May 17, 2012 at 2:56 pm
    
    .
    Drone doctrine of necessity
    
    "But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

Phil Perspective on May 17, 2012 at 1:13 am

I suggest people not read the comments over at The Hill. You’ll lower your IQ by ten points. The stupid is that strong.
- BooMan on May 17, 2012 at 9:46 am
  
  Indeed.
Oui on May 17, 2012 at 2:09 am
.

Rendition Timeline

October 1994 U.N. Convention Against Torture

The United Nations Convention Against Torture goes into force in the United States. The U.N. convention, signed a decade earlier, bans the transfer of a prisoner to another country where there are “substantial grounds” that he may face torture. The U.S. Congress, in ratifying the treaty, orders that “substantial grounds” are defined as “more likely than not” that the prisoner will be tortured. The convention potentially makes renditions to other countries a crime under U.S. law.

Under President Clinton, the CIA launches a systematic covert program of “extraordinary” rendition, the transfer of suspected Islamist terrorists to foreign countries. The Clinton administration is responding to fears of a growing transnational threat from Osama bin Laden and other well-organized Sunni extremists in Afghanistan, the Balkans and Egypt. Among this program’s creators is CIA veteran Michael Scheuer.

Mapping the Black Sites
- Appeals Court: Ex-Bush aide John Yoo protected from torture lawsuit
- International Criminal Court in The Hague: for African leaders only!
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
henry211 on May 17, 2012 at 3:19 am

soa consultant
—
business integration
Oui on May 17, 2012 at 6:13 am

.
War Crimes Tribunal in Malaysia Finds Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld Guilty of Torture in Guantánamo and Iraq

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
Oui on May 17, 2012 at 7:37 am
.

Charges of Afghan Army Torture Prevent British Detainee Transfer (Stickler)

(Informed Comment) – British troops have been banned from transferring suspected Taliban prisoners to the Afghan authorities because of claims of torture by local forces. The move, which follows a ruling by the British High Court, is a blow to Nato countries that want to formalise their detainee transfer process, and potentially throws the UK’s strategy for leaving Helmand by the end of 2014 into disarray.

It is a breach of international law to transfer prisoners to the custody of another state where they may face a risk of torture. To date, NATO forces have attempted to comply with their human rights obligations by obtaining written assurances from the Afghan government that torture will not take place. These assurances are known as memorandums of understanding, or MOUs.

The High Court banned transfers to the Afghan National Directorate of Security in Kabul following claims of systematic abuse.

Last year a joint investigation by the Bureau and the New Statesman magazine revealed that despite condemnation by the UN that such MOUs are `utterly meaningless’, the world’s most powerful military nations were attempting to undermine 60 years of the Geneva Convention and codify the use of MOUs under international law.

Strategic Partnership – Gen. John R. Allen comments following Parwan MOU signing
- Ottawa anticipated Afghan torture allegations
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
Ten Bears on May 17, 2012 at 8:09 am

Hhistory will mark the appointment in the face of losses of both the electoral and popular vote of a dynastic AWOL frat-boy with limited education, no experience and questionable sexuality by an ideologically stacked activist court to the highest office in the land as the End of “America”.

Yes Geov, it is a cheap shot – what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Rule number six (maybe seven) of Rules for Radicals is Ridicule: put it back in their faces. I’m not one of you lefties so I won’t use “us” or “we”, but I am a amongst many other things a firefighter, knowing that you can only fight fire with fire. This is how the reich-wingers treat you and everyone else, and the only way you can successfully fight it is turn it around and put it back in their faces.

Sometimes I think you lefties are as drunk on the Ambien, Prozac, Viagra and crotch-shots on Fox Kool-Aid as the bare footed rubes. Your protestation distracts from the point of the statement: “America” is over, and has bee since December 12 2000. Instead of arguing over semantics, or cheap shots, we should be having a frank discussion of how we are going to ensure the survival of our grandchildren.
- joe from Lowell on May 17, 2012 at 12:30 pm
  
  I am a amongst many other things a firefighter, knowing that you can only fight fire with fire.
  
  God, I hope you’re not really a firefighter.
  - BooMan on May 17, 2012 at 12:36 pm
    
    Because we all know gasoline works better than fire.
Brendan Skwire on May 17, 2012 at 9:20 am

you need to stop looking backward.
- Oui on May 17, 2012 at 11:38 am
  
  .
  With Obama we can look forward in so many ways.
  
  "But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
  - Brendan Skwire on May 17, 2012 at 12:44 pm
    
    what did Obama have to do with the John Yoo decision?
    Nothing so far as I can see.
    
    On the other two items: I am glad the NDAA Obama signed hit a wall. And I have nothing good to say about drones.
    - Oui on May 17, 2012 at 2:48 pm
      
      Amicus brief – DOJ to the Rescue… of John Yoo
      
      "But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
      - Brendan Skwire on May 17, 2012 at 6:45 pm
        
        thanks. That’s really infuriating.
        
        What’s sad is the GOP would do nothing different.
    - Oui on May 17, 2012 at 2:56 pm
      
      .
      Drone doctrine of necessity
      
      "But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

Torture Didn’t Work

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