Image from Annoy.comYesterday, April 27 2008, a NYT article enlightened us with the Justice Department's announcement to Congress on the issue of "interrogation methods that might otherwise be prohibited under international law. " What was the bottom line? Well of course, that they can be legally used if we arch our backs in just that extra special sexy way. Don't look at all those nasty enhancements...look here...No, no, over here!..watch my lower back, it's sexy isn't it?
So, here's the trecherous water-filled lungs...Ah, eh...I mean blood-stained,...ooops... I mean, "enhanced" trail laid before us: 1) Last summer Bush said that CIA operatives would comply with international law. 2) However, that is subject to a case-by-case hidey-hole of super-duper top secret rules on interrogation that can only be found up Cheney's ass and which seeks to circumvent the complications of the Geneva conventions that prohibit, "outrages upon personal dignity.”
Why is this so hard? Well, it seems that these words I just quoted hurt Bush's and the Justice Department's heads, so only they know dignity violations when they see it.
Deputy assistant Attorney General, Brian A. Benczkowski give us a little whif of the poo in this messy little disclosure letter, "The fact that an act is undertaken to prevent a threatened terrorist attack, rather than for the purpose of humiliation or abuse, would be relevant to a reasonable observer in measuring the outrageousness of the act."
What does this all MEEEEEEEAAAAN? Reasonable Observer + Prevention of terror threat - the purpose of humiliation or abuse = WE CAN TORTURE YOU! Na-na-na na-nahhh-na! Using trick-fuck-inometry we can move the harmless words around so they say what we're saying without really saying it. Think fucked-up Algebra.
The article brings up waterboarding, which, to any nit-wit, is obviously utilized on a regular basis to obtain "intelligence." So, here's what we're gonna do before we decide if it should be used; Everyone this evening needs to tie themselves down, face up, have someone put a t-shirt over your head and then pour water over your face. You all then can come back here and tell me about your experience and answer the following quesions: 1) Does this REALLY simulate drowning? Come on now, be honest? 2) Can you breath while this is happening? Oh, common, you can breath a little--it's not THAT bad! Right? 3) Do you get water in your lungs? Wasn't there some study released in the last decade about someone actually being able to drown in a tablespoon of water? RIDICULOUS! I just can't wait to hear from you all! I'm so ENCITED!
One particular highlight was where the writer takes us down Elm Street...I MEAN, memory lane to remind us that in a 2002 memo Bush the limits of allowable techniques "just short of the pain associated with organ failure." I would just LOVE to see the machine they use to measure that in the moment. There are more mention of those things not allowed, but the specifics of what is allowed is again--super-duper top secret. More importantly, the Bush administration and it's group of "lawyers," (and I use this term loosely), are taking language in the Geneva Conventions as somehow vague or unclear, and so the practice of playing dumb gets more leeway than should be allowed by a scary clown. I can just see the hearings now. No one could have predicted the failure of their organs.
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden (D), who sits on the Intelligence Committee expressed his concern of the Administration using the Geneva Convenation restrictions as if they were a "sliding scale." I love this analogy, Bush wants a sliding scale for torture, but not for taxes. Both are inevitable, but somhow he sees a distinction of importance when it comes to money, but not to a human soul.So, in closing, I have to ask "the Bush," does this vague-arity put our troops at risk for others who may adopt the same standard? If we're really "spreading democracy" and "freedom" wouldn't it be reasonable that we would implement our legal system upon international dealings, rather than using "enhanced techniques?" Honestly, we know that "enhancement" doesn't work anyway. Those info-mercials are total scams! If he's such a Christ-ian, shouldn't he be implementing the golden rule to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."? Unless he's a kinky boy! You know those Skull & Bones boys! Even further, shouldn't he be praying for his enemies, giving them his coat, blessing them? Only if it involves spreading the freedom of the followers of Friedman and the Chicago School. I HAVE IT! Bush stood at the top of the temple in Jerusalem temple and said, "Satan, get in front of me." I think the closest he's gotten to the golden rule is following someone to a cross with nails, a hammer, a hard-on and something short of of the pain associated with organ failure.
To understand how Bush's push to torture fits into all of this you must read this book:
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