Guild: Bush Should Be Tried For Role In Torture

[whosinpower]

Monday, 21 June 2004, 10:25 am
Press Release: US National Lawyers Guild


National Lawyers Guild Calls For Prosecution Of President Bush For Role In Torture
2003 State of the Union Address Contained Implicit Admission

New York, June 18, 2004--The National Lawyers Guild calls for the prosecution of President George W. Bush with a "command responsibility" theory of liability under the War Crimes Act. Bush can be prosecuted under the War Crimes Act or the Torture Statute, if he knew or should have known about the U.S. military's use of torture and failed to stop or prevent it. A comment in the President's January 2003 State of the Union Address contained an implicit admission by Bush that he had sanctioned the summary execution of many when he said: "All told, more than 3,000 suspected terrorists have been arrested in many countries, and many others have met a different fate." "Let's put it this way," he continued, "they are no longer a problem for the United States and our friends and allies."

more at - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0406/S00217.htm


Question for Duer's - have anyone heard of this guild???? And perhaps the most remarkable statement to me - "IF HE KNEW OR SHOULD OF KNOWN ABOUT THE US MILITARY'S USE OF TORTURE AND FAILED TO STOP OR PREVENT IT."

[Jabbery]

1. HELL, Yes

Try, convict, and imprison for life.

[GainesT1958]

2. Of course, that prosecution may have to wait until...

AFTER he's put on trial for giving the approval to "out" Valerie Plame Wilson!:eyes:

B-)

[DaveSZ]

3. Could he pardom himself?

We should do away with presidential pardons.

[shoelace414]

5. pardons

I don't think you can pardon yourself.. however..

can you pardon the VP? if so.. simple.. Pardon Cheney, resign, get pardoned.. welcome Kerry to 1600 Penn Ave

[shoelace414]

6. Pardons revisited

Anyway.. about pardons.. it's pretty clear in the constitution. I think there should be an admendment disallowing pardons two weeks before the general eletion, and after the election if you are no longer going to be president.

[struggle4progress]

8. We should say "No pardon before trial and conviction"

[redqueen]

4. Link to press release

http://www.nlg.org/news/statements/BushTortureJune2004.htm

Should we contact them and let them know we support this action, perhaps?

Seems like a small organization so far, but I like this!

"The National Lawyers Guild is an association dedicated to the need for basic change in the structure of our political and economic system. We seek to unite the lawyers, law students, legal workers and jailhouse lawyers of America in an organization that shall function as an effective political and social force in the service of the people, to the end that human rights shall be regarded as more sacred than property interests.

Our aim is to bring together all those who recognize the importance of safeguarding and extending the rights of workers, women, farmers and minority groups, upon whom the welfare of the entire nation depends; who seek actively to eliminate racism; who work to maintain and protect our civil rights and liberties in the face of persistent attacks upon them; and who look upon the law as an instrument for the protection of the people, rather than for their repression."

[struggle4progress]

7. Related threads

LBN
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=635094
EAOA
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=57777
GD
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1826457
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1826077