Robert Parry: Colin Powell Skates Free on Torture

[babylonsister]

Colin Powell Skates Free on Torture

By Robert Parry
May 25, 2009

snip//

Given far less attention was Powell’s disingenuous response to Bob Schieffer’s question about the ex-Secretary of State’s knowledge regarding “enhanced interrogation techniques,” which the International Committee of the Red Cross and virtually all other objective observers say constituted torture.

Powell, who was a member of President George W. Bush’s Principals Committee which oversaw the interrogation policies, claimed to have been kept mostly out of the loop. He asserted that while the techniques "were outlined" at meetings he attended, he was “not privy” to the legal memos authorizing the abusive treatment, nor many other details.

"I think it was unfortunate but we had a system that kept that in a very compartmented manner,” Powell said. “And so I was aware that these enhanced interrogation techniques were being considered. And they were judged not to be torture at the time."

Powell also repeated the all-purpose Cheney-Bush excuse for all manner of sins: “9/11.”

"Facing the possibility of a 9/11, you had to give some -- some flexibility to the CIA," Powell said. "It's easy now in the cold light of day to look back and say, you shouldn't have done any of that."

So what was it? Did Powell participate in the Principals Committee as it – according to some reports – “choreographed” the torture sessions or didn’t he? Did he favor giving the CIA “some flexibility” or did he object to the abusive techniques, including the near-drowning of waterboarding, that he says “were judged not to be torture”?

For a Washington press corps that has been up in arms challenging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s claim that the CIA obscured key details of the harsh interrogations from congressional leaders, it was impressive to see how little skepticism was evinced by Powell’s claim of ignorance from his seat on Bush’s Principals Committee.

more...

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2009/052509.html

[glitch]

1. I'm glad Parry is noticing this effort to rehab Powell and reminding us of the truth about him.

The GOP must feel he is one of the few remaining national Republicans with any credibility worth salvaging, good for Robert Parry to call them on it.

[tomp]

10. OBAMA is in love with powell.

powell doesn't need the repubs. it was the mutual obama/powell embrace JUST prior to the election that signalled which way obama was going to go on bush, inc. crimes. that is when the rehab began and obama led it.

[glitch]

11. Missed it. I've been missing a lot since I can't be on DU so much anymore.

Well, the GOP has to prop up someone who is simply corrupt and not corrupt AND batshit crazy. And I guess Obama was happy to help, it can't be all that gratifying to win against McCain/Palin. Or he's in on the script.

So, will the GOP ticket be Powell/Jeb in 2012 or Jeb/Powell? They're trying to rehab Jeb too. I guess whoever is most successfully resuscitated will be at the top of the ticket. Doesn't really matter, puppets are so happily interchangeable.

[Solly Mack]

2. Powell's the same piece of shit liar he's always been

and it is just recently that he has adopted the "And so I was aware that these enhanced interrogation techniques were being considered. And they were judged not to be torture at the time." line

He's trying to convince people that the Torture team, of which he did belong, just talked about the possibility of using torture...and besides, someone told him torture was legal.

This, from a former army general...pretending he didn't know if something was torture or not and if torture was legal or not

This from the man who was secretary of state - a department of the government that puts out a human rights report card every single year discussing the various human rights abuses in other countries...abuses that are labeled torture in other countries but are ,somehow, in America "legal"...or unclear as to their legality.

[RufusTFirefly]

3. Out of the loop, eh?

Gee, where have I heard that one before?

[ThirdWorldJohn]

4. Here is a google Video that shows he ordered Wilkerson to find out all about the torture

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2987535946644608661

[IDFbunny]

5. At first I thought Colin Bowell should join us

but have since changed my mind. He's were he belongs.

[burning rain]

6. Come on. Powell can't possibly be a criminal.

He's a nice moderate Republican. :dunce:

[rpannier]

7. "Facing the possibility of another Reichstag Fire you had to give the Police some - some flexibility

It's easy now, in the cold light of day to say Given the events of February 27, 1933, to criticize the suspension of civil liberties and the round up of all Communists Parliamentarians, and say you shouldn't have done that.

[Captain Hilts]

8. He skates free on a lot of things. Gen. Teflon. He was LOUDLY cheered at the inauguration. nt

[bertman]

9. Come on guys, quit pickin' on Colin.

The fact that he spent his career as an officer in the Army doesn't mean that he ought to be conversant with the Geneva Conventions definitions of torture, does it? I mean, it's not like he had been involved in any big cases involving violations of the Conventions that might have required him to learn about that stuff. Right?

Oh wait. My Lai.

How forgetful of me.