LETTER: Powell Says Bush Plan To Authorize Torture ‘Would Put Troops At Ri

[kpete]

LETTER: Powell Says Bush Plan To Authorize Torture ‘Would Put Troops At Risk’
Gen. Colin Powell issued a letter today sharply criticizing President Bush’s new legislation that would establish a system of military commissions to try suspected terrorists.

Bush’s proposal would “liberalize the definition of what is torture” by amending the War Crimes Act to “permit use of hypothermia, threats of violence to the detainee and his family, stress positions, ‘long-time standing,’ prolonged sleep deprivation, and possibly waterboarding.”

In his letter, Powell writes, “The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism. To redefine Common Article 3 would add to those doubts. Furthermore, it would put our own troops at risk.”

Read the full transcript:

Dear Senator McCain,

I just returned to town and learned about the debate taking place in Congress to redefine Common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention. I do not support such a step and believe it would be inconsistent with the McCain amendment on torture which I supported last year.

I have read the powerful and eloquent letter sent to you by one my distinguished predecessors as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Jack Vessey. I fully endorse in tone and fact his powerful argument. The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism. To redefine Common Article 3 would add to those doubts. Furthermore, it would put our own troops at risk.

I am as familiar with The Armed Forces Officer as is Jack Vessey. It was written after all the horrors of World War II and General George C. Marshall, then Secretary of Defense, used it to tell the world and to remind our soldiers of our moral obligations with respect to those in our custody.

Sincerely,

Signature

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/09/14/powell-letter/
copy of letter
http://websrvr80il.audiovideoweb.com/il80web20037/ThinkProgress/2006/0843_001.pdf

[acmavm]

1. I wouldn't want to be a member of our military if this happens.

Seriously, it's putting our troops in a very dangerous position.

How can we bitch about torture when we openly support the practice?

[wtmusic]

2. The only reason they're pushing this is to save their own skin

Necktie a little tight, Junior?

[MadMaddie]

3. The * has never cared about the soldiers and the sooner America

wakes up to this fact (not like it hasn't been obvious since the beginning of this mess)the sooner we can bring them safely home...

[lyonn]

8. Apparently neither do a lot of Americans Maddie

The average American: "What soldiers".

They fail to realise that is pretty much our entire fighting force in Iraq and Afghanistan. If sh-t happened here or anywhere else we are in big trouble.

Our country has turned into a dark comedy - and waaaay to many don't or haven't notice.

[MadMaddie]

9. You are right lyonn....

Americans will be shocked when it dawns on them that our military has been completely fucked up by this administration...

[razors edge]

11. question...

if the troops do one more tour, do they qualify for iraqi citizenship?

[MadMaddie]

12. Ouch....no but when they come home to broken families

and no home....no mental help to deal with the trauma.....they aren't going to feel very American either...they are not going to be happy!!

[razors edge]

13. god hlp them and us

when they come to grips with why they are really there.

[bdamomma]

14. god that is so disgusting that there are so many Americans in

denial or have on blinders.

[wake.up.america]

4. What in the world is Bush thinking about???!!!

The idiot must be stopped!!!!! Every legal means must be used or we will all be worse off.

[rodeodance]

5. It is so Strange that the wrning of ---put our own troops at risk.” does

NOt register with the WH nor with so many repugs in congress-NOR with people who support the WH proposal. In other situations if you mention risk to troops it shuts everybody up.

[Poiuyt]

6. Bush didn't sound too happy about it at the press conference this

morning. It's very hard for him to control his anger.

[lyonn]

10. bush got off his butt and went to the Congress -

to get his torture approved??? Now that is one swell President. Only us political/democratic junkies know this stuff is going on. So sad.

[Beelzebud]

7. Hey Powell, you lieing about Iraq's weapons program put them at risk too!

Fuck Colin Powell.

[Disturbed]

16. Busholini, Rumsfailed and the CIA have violated

The Geneva Convention thereby also the US Constitution many times. There has been no accountability for their crimes.

Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention defines war crimes as: "Willful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, including... willfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health, unlawful deportation or transfer or unlawful confinement of a protected person, compelling a protected person to serve in the forces of a hostile power, or willfully depriving a protected person of the rights of fair and regular trial, ...taking of hostages and extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly."

More about Fourth Geneva Convention:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1420133.stm

[moondust]

15. Republican self-pardon?

Unilaterally altering multilateral international agreements?

Fantasyland merges with Bizarro World. :shrug: