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THE ABSURD TIMES
Illustration: 7 of 9 from Star Treck. Actually, articles on the United States' Torture program, brought to us by Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld, usually are headed with a photo of a bunch of naked men in a pile at Abu Ghrab (formerly known as the Iraqi campus at Davis or Aggies), but I really don't get much other than disgust from looking at it and the fat little bitch leading a nude guy around on a leash, so, since some nudity is required, I posted her photo, which also should show that we are not anti-semetic here.
Furthermore, it is more tasteful that what many argu should be shown: a photo of Cheney in a jockstrap being waterboarded.
Furthermore, it is more tasteful that what many argu should be shown: a photo of Cheney in a jockstrap being waterboarded.
So, what has the media been covering? Another illustration:
Miss California and her "freedom of speech" (as Sarah Palin put it) and Donald Trump came to her defense. She said she thought marriage should be between a man and a woman. Her governor, Arnold, was more liberal "I'm for gay marriage zo long azz it is between a man and a voman."
Actually, those who want to preserve the institution of marriage should be eager to recruit gays and lesbians to get marriage since most other people have learned what a farce it is. "I wouldn't give two fucks for it," one nun told me. The lisbigay community (located somewhere near San Francisco I take it) wants all the rites and rights of full marriage as well as its benefits, such as alimony, divorce, and the right to adopt so they can eventually pay child support to someone they currently detest or loathe to feed children who are not theirs, just like straight people do.
Notre Dame allumni and assorted and sundry Bishops are upset that Obama is speaking there because he believes in choice and allows stem-cell research. See, God doesn't like such things. In the words of a learned Bishop "I fart at research."
But on to Obama. He has chicken out on his promise to release the photos the ACLU filed for and were awared by the courts. He is already in violation of the law, but I suppose he will appeal. Meanwhile, the Republicans are making much of the possibility of that dried up old bitch who is third in line to be President may have been told about the torture and didn't try to stop it. Maybe tha's true and, if so, why impeachment was "not on the table." (That damn table again. Boots for Afghanistan are on the table, however.) Some more plausible Republicans (there's that swearword again) are suggesting a "Truth and Reconcilliation Commission" like they had is South African. The real problem with that is the "Reconcilliation" part.
One wonders why we are so eager to send that clod Denjanjuck (or however you spell it, the so-called "Ivan the Terrible") back to Germany for trial for war crimes because he is accused of being a former Nazi Death Camp Guard (the Israeli courts exhonerated him, I gather), if there is so much emphasis on "moving forward". It seems to me quite clear that the Nazis came BEFORE the Bush administration. The Bush administration only SEEMED like the Nazis what with the Patriot act and all which, by the way, has yet to be repealed.
Obama states tha it is safer for the troops not to release them, but we all know very well that the only thing that makes our troops safe are yellow ribbon and magnetic bumper stickers shaped like ribbons. Who is he trying to fool?
Anyway, here is a transcript on the torture photos:
*AMY GOODMAN: *President Obama has reversed his position and says he
will now prevent the release of photographs of US soldiers abusing
prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan. The news broke just as the Senate
Judiciary Committee held a hearing on detainee interrogation and torture
Wednesday. It was the first hearing on the Bush administration's harsh
interrogation methods since the Obama administration released the
so-called "torture memos" authorizing them.
will now prevent the release of photographs of US soldiers abusing
prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan. The news broke just as the Senate
Judiciary Committee held a hearing on detainee interrogation and torture
Wednesday. It was the first hearing on the Bush administration's harsh
interrogation methods since the Obama administration released the
so-called "torture memos" authorizing them.
A former FBI agent, Ali Soufan, who had interrogated high-level al-Qaeda
suspects, testified at the hearing, but from behind a wooden screen to
hide his identity. Soufan said the Bush administration's so-called
enhanced interrogation techniques were, quote, "slow, ineffective,
unreliable and harmful." In contrast, he described the less threatening
interrogation method he had used on suspects, including Abu Zubaydah.
suspects, testified at the hearing, but from behind a wooden screen to
hide his identity. Soufan said the Bush administration's so-called
enhanced interrogation techniques were, quote, "slow, ineffective,
unreliable and harmful." In contrast, he described the less threatening
interrogation method he had used on suspects, including Abu Zubaydah.
*ALI SOUFAN: *The interrogator uses a combination of
interpersonal, cognitive and emotional strategies to extract the
information needed. If done correctly, this approach works quickly
and effectively, because it outsmarts the detainee using a method
that he is not trained nor able to resist. The Army Field Manual
is not about being soft. It's about outwitting, outsmarting and
manipulating the detainee.
interpersonal, cognitive and emotional strategies to extract the
information needed. If done correctly, this approach works quickly
and effectively, because it outsmarts the detainee using a method
that he is not trained nor able to resist. The Army Field Manual
is not about being soft. It's about outwitting, outsmarting and
manipulating the detainee.
The approach is in sharp contrast of the enhanced interrogation
method that instead tries to subjugate the detainee into
submission through humiliation and cruelty. A major problem is
it-it is ineffective. Al-Qaeda are trained to resist torture, as
we see from the recently released DOJ memos on interrogation. The
contractors had to keep requesting authorization to use harsher
and harsher methods.
method that instead tries to subjugate the detainee into
submission through humiliation and cruelty. A major problem is
it-it is ineffective. Al-Qaeda are trained to resist torture, as
we see from the recently released DOJ memos on interrogation. The
contractors had to keep requesting authorization to use harsher
and harsher methods.
In the case of Abu Zubaydah, that continued for several months,
right 'til waterboarding was introduced. And waterboarding itself
had to be used eighty-three times, an indication that Abu Zubaydah
had already called his interrogators' bluff. In contrast, when we
interrogated him using intelligent interrogation methods, within
the first hour we gained important actionable intelligence.
right 'til waterboarding was introduced. And waterboarding itself
had to be used eighty-three times, an indication that Abu Zubaydah
had already called his interrogators' bluff. In contrast, when we
interrogated him using intelligent interrogation methods, within
the first hour we gained important actionable intelligence.
This amateurish technique is harmful to our long-term strategy and
interests. It plays into the enemy's handbook and recreates a form
of the so-called Chinese wall between the CIA and the FBI. It also
taints sources, risks outcomes, ignores the endgame, and
diminishes our moral high ground.
interests. It plays into the enemy's handbook and recreates a form
of the so-called Chinese wall between the CIA and the FBI. It also
taints sources, risks outcomes, ignores the endgame, and
diminishes our moral high ground.
My interest in speaking about this issue is not to advocate the
prosecution of anyone. Examining a past we cannot change is only
worthwhile when it helps guide us towards claiming a future, a
better future that is yet within our reach. For the last seven
years, it has not been easy objecting to these methods when they
had powerful backers.
prosecution of anyone. Examining a past we cannot change is only
worthwhile when it helps guide us towards claiming a future, a
better future that is yet within our reach. For the last seven
years, it has not been easy objecting to these methods when they
had powerful backers.
*AMY GOODMAN: *Former FBI interrogator Ali Soufan. Soufan was questioned
by both Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Republican Senator
Lindsey Graham. In response to Soufan's testimony Senator Whitehouse
read a statement from President Bush that said enhanced interrogation
had actually led to useful information.
*SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE: *On September 6, 2006, President Bush
stated the following: "Within months of September 11, 2001, we
captured a man named Abu Zubaydah. We believed that Zubaydah was a
senior terrorist leader and a trusted associate of Osama bin
Laden...Zubaydah was severely wounded during the firefight that
brought him into custody, and he survived only because of the
medical care arranged by the CIA.
stated the following: "Within months of September 11, 2001, we
captured a man named Abu Zubaydah. We believed that Zubaydah was a
senior terrorist leader and a trusted associate of Osama bin
Laden...Zubaydah was severely wounded during the firefight that
brought him into custody, and he survived only because of the
medical care arranged by the CIA.
"After he recovered, Zubaydah was defiant and evasive. He declared
his hatred of America. During questioning, he at first disclosed
what he thought was nominal"-nominal-"information and then stopped
all cooperation...We knew that Zubaydah had more information that
could save innocent lives, but he stopped talking. As his
questioning proceeded, it became clear that [Zubaydah] had
received training on how to resist interrogation. And so, the CIA
used an alternative set of procedures."
his hatred of America. During questioning, he at first disclosed
what he thought was nominal"-nominal-"information and then stopped
all cooperation...We knew that Zubaydah had more information that
could save innocent lives, but he stopped talking. As his
questioning proceeded, it became clear that [Zubaydah] had
received training on how to resist interrogation. And so, the CIA
used an alternative set of procedures."
Does that statement by the President accurately reflect the
interrogation of Abu Zubaydah?
interrogation of Abu Zubaydah?
*ALI SOUFAN: *Well, the environment that he's talking about, yes,
it reflects-you know, he was injured, and he needed medical care.
But I think the President-my own personal opinion here, based on
my recollection, he was told probably half-truth.
it reflects-you know, he was injured, and he needed medical care.
But I think the President-my own personal opinion here, based on
my recollection, he was told probably half-truth.
*SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE: *And repeated half-truth, obviously. His
statement, as presented, does not conform with what you know to be
the case-
statement, as presented, does not conform with what you know to be
the case-
*ALI SOUFAN: *Yes, sir.
*SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE: *-from your experience on-hand.
*ALI SOUFAN: *Yes, sir.
*SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM: *Do you believe that any good information
was obtained through harsh interrogation techniques? Can you say
that there was no good information?
was obtained through harsh interrogation techniques? Can you say
that there was no good information?
*ALI SOUFAN: *Well, from what I know on the Abu Zubaydah, I would
like you to evaluate the information that we got before-
like you to evaluate the information that we got before-
*SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM: *Well, the Vice President's suggesting that
there was good information obtained, and I'd like the committee to
get that information. Let's have both sides of the story here. I
mean, one of the reasons these techniques have survived for about
500 years is apparently they work.
there was good information obtained, and I'd like the committee to
get that information. Let's have both sides of the story here. I
mean, one of the reasons these techniques have survived for about
500 years is apparently they work.
*ALI SOUFAN: *Because, sir, there's a lot of people who don't know
how to interrogate-
how to interrogate-
*SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM: *Right.
*ALI SOUFAN: *-and it's easier to hit someone than outsmart them.
*SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM: *I understand that you believe you got it
right and you know how to do it and these other people don't.
right and you know how to do it and these other people don't.
*AMY GOODMAN: *Republican Senator Lindsey Graham questioning former FBI
interrogator Ali Soufan at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
Wednesday.
Former State Department counselor and former head of the 9/11
Commission, Philip Zelikow, also testified at the hearing. He criticized
the memos authorizing the interrogations from the Office of Legal
Counsel and revealed that the memo he wrote offering an alternative view
on the legality of torture has now been located and could be
declassified shortly.
Commission, Philip Zelikow, also testified at the hearing. He criticized
the memos authorizing the interrogations from the Office of Legal
Counsel and revealed that the memo he wrote offering an alternative view
on the legality of torture has now been located and could be
declassified shortly.
*PHILIP ZELIKOW: *It seemed to me that the OLC interpretation of
US Con law in this area was strained and indefensible, in a whole
variety of ways. My view was that I could not imagine any federal
court in America agreeing that the entire CIA program could be
conducted and it would not violate the American Constitution.
US Con law in this area was strained and indefensible, in a whole
variety of ways. My view was that I could not imagine any federal
court in America agreeing that the entire CIA program could be
conducted and it would not violate the American Constitution.
So I distributed my memo analyzing these legal issues to other
deputies at one of our meetings in February 2006. I then took off
to the Middle East on other work. When I came back, I heard the
memo was not considered appropriate for further discussion and
that copies of my memo should be collected and destroyed. That
particular request, passed along informally, did not seem proper,
and I ignored it.
deputies at one of our meetings in February 2006. I then took off
to the Middle East on other work. When I came back, I heard the
memo was not considered appropriate for further discussion and
that copies of my memo should be collected and destroyed. That
particular request, passed along informally, did not seem proper,
and I ignored it.
This particular memo has evidently been located in the State's
files and is being reviewed for declassification. But in sum, the
US government, over the past seven years, adopted an unprecedented
program in American history of coolly calculated, dehumanizing
abuse and physical torment to extract information. This was a
mistake, perhaps a disastrous one. It was a collective failure in
which a number of officials and members of Congress and staffers
of both parties played a part.
files and is being reviewed for declassification. But in sum, the
US government, over the past seven years, adopted an unprecedented
program in American history of coolly calculated, dehumanizing
abuse and physical torment to extract information. This was a
mistake, perhaps a disastrous one. It was a collective failure in
which a number of officials and members of Congress and staffers
of both parties played a part.
*AMY GOODMAN: *Former State Department lawyer and head of the 9/11
Commission, Philip Zelikow, testifying on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
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