Bush threatens to withdraw law rather than lose debate.
This is simply extraordinary. Bush now says that his Detainee Detention Act "won't go forward" unless he is allowed to "clarify" Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions as "intelligence professionals won't violate the law". Isn't that an implicit admission that what he is currently asking them to do is illegal?
He says that even reassurances that they won't be prosecuted doesn't reassure them as this amounts to saying, "Go ahead, violate it!" He is actually admitting that they are violating the law.
His worst performance EVER. He's now admitting illegality in attempt to browbeat others into giving him what he wants.
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"Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria."
"To this end the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever"
"violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;"
"taking of hostages;"
"outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment;"
"the passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples."
"The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for."
"An impartial humanitarian body, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, may offer its services to the Parties to the conflict."
What part of that needs clarifying. It is now quite clear that Bush does not believe in sactity of human life or the laws laid down by God, let alone an international body.
He is an absolute Pharasee, disputing the letter of the law to find a way out of it.
Basically torture or being evil is wrong, unless it is conducted for American interests. Why not just say it? why not just tell the truth?
Alex,
I agree totally. However, the two parts he would disagree with are:
"outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment;"
"the passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples."
He wants to redefine "humiliating and degrading treatment" and "outrages upon personal dignity" so he can basically perform acts that all civilised people realise constitute torture.
He would also like to dispense with "regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees" so that he can carry out his kangaroo military court martials.
America should be careful, as she is defining herself here. If Bush gets away with this, the US will lose forever the myth of US exceptionalism.
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