No Exceptional Circumstances Whatsoever... May Be Invoked as a Justification of Torture

[cheapdate]

49. Swing and a miss!

The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, adopted and opened for signature by General Assembly resolution on December 10, 1984, is featured in the OP with extended quotations.

The OP features a link to the full text of the document. The "Signatures" link at the bottom of that page lists the Unites States under "States which have Signed but not yet Ratified the Convention Against Torture".

So, I'm not sure what it is you're on about. If you have different information regarding the above, please feel free to share it.

Your claim that anywhere have I provided a "rationalization for torture" is a fiction born of rashness and carelessness. Elsewhere, I proposed a rationalization for the White House's inaction in pursuing prosecutions for torture and other crimes. They are two different things. One is not the other. The Sheriff of Sevier County in Tennessee was asked why he didn't aggressively pursue cock-fighting and gambling operations in his county, He answered that he'd like to, but his resources were finite and prostitution and meth labs were larger problems. He wasn't providing a "rationalization for cock-fighting and gambling" and it's wrong to claim he was.

It's essential in critical thinking and open dialogue to consider opposing arguments calmly and with civility and not lose your shit when confronted with a different point of view. Furthermore, arguments are sometimes proposed with a view toward fully considering the question from all perspectives and arriving at the best language for talking about it and the strongest arguments for or against it (see earlier -- "critical thinking" and "not lose your shit".)

The Yoo memo was a disgrace. Previously, I've readily conceded that torture happened, it was reprehensible, and it is illegal under US and international law.