Attorney General Says He's Unaware Of Any Order To Violate Torture Bans

[Solidarity]

Ashcroft Refuses to Discuss Torture Memo
Attorney General Says He's Unaware of Any Order to Violate Torture Bans

By John J. Lumpkin
The Associated Press
Tuesday, June 8, 2004; 11:59 AM


Attorney General John Ashcroft said Tuesday he was not aware of any order by President Bush that would violate U.S. laws or treaties banning torture of military prisoners captured in Iraq or elsewhere in the war on terrorism.


"This administration rejects torture," Ashcroft declared under tense questioning by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. But he steadfastly refused to comment directly about a policy paper on this issue, or say whether Bush ever responded to it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24867-2004Jun8.html

[TolstoyAndy]

1. Naturally ...

He's unaware because he's too busy with his intimidating prayer meetings, and with his songwriting career.

Or he's lying.

Take your pick.

[struggle4progress]

2. If you're all so deadset against torture, why are there so many ...

documents explaining that torture is OK?

[maddezmom]

14. this is a good recap...they were working hard at it

WASHINGTON -- A team of administration lawyers concluded in a March 2003 legal memorandum that President Bush was not bound by either an international treaty barring torture or by a federal anti-torture law because he has the authority as commander in chief to approve any technique needed to protect the nation's security.


~snip~

"The April document was about interrogation techniques and procedures," said Lawrence Di Rita, the Pentagon's chief spokesman. "It was not a legal analysis."

~snip~

Jan. 22, 2002, memorandum from the Justice Department that provided arguments to keep American officials from being charged with war crimes for the way prisoners were detained and interrogated was used extensively as a basis for a May memorandum on avoiding proscriptions against torture.

Another memorandum obtained by The Times indicates that most of the administration's top lawyers, with the exception of those at the State Department and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, approved of the Justice Department's position that the Geneva Conventions did not apply to the war in Afghanistan.

~snip~

and there are many more memos: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/176803_iraqabuse08.html

[struggle4progress]

21. Poor Ashcroft. So many lawyers to supervise.

[Don_G]

3. He's Lying Out His AssCrack

Hee's a link that dosen't require registration: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=703&e=2&u=/ap/20040608/ap_on_go_pr_wh/prisoner_abuse

[Solidarity]

5. Thanks

Thanks for the non-registration link.

[maddezmom]

4. listening to him evade questions now n/t

[geek tragedy]

6. Of course,

he never mentioned what the Pentagon had ordered.

[bemildred]

7. Just thinking, maybe asscrack will be the next to fall on his sword.

:-) :-) :-)

[OldCurmudgeon]

13. no way, Herr Aschkropft is staying

see, the only way you get canned from the Shrub admin. is by disloyalty. Lying to the public, or to congress, is okay. Complete and total incompetance is okay. Committing heinous crimes is okay.

But the slightly little hint of disloyalty, and *bam*, they're out.

Herr Aschkrofpft's job is secure.

[Barrett808]

8. Ashcroft refuses to give Congress torture memo

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US Attorney General refused to give lawmakers copies of a Justice Department memo that allegedly advised the White House that torture during 'war on terror' interrogations could be justified.

The Washington Post said an August 2002 memo sent by the Justice Department in response to a Central Intelligence Agency request for legal guidance said international laws against torture "may be unconstitutional if applied to interrogations" conducted in the war on terrorism.

But Attorney General John Ashcroft refused to provide the memo to lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"We believe that to provide this kind of information would impair the ability of advice-giving in the executive branch to be candid, forthright, thorough and accurate at all times," Ashcroft said.

Ashcroft told lawmakers that while "this administration rejects torture," he said he could not provide specific details of communications between his office and the White House.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040608/pl_afp/us_iraq_prisoners_memo&cid=1521&ncid=1480

[struggle4progress]

10. "We believe that if the American people saw this memo ...

they would tar and feather us all."

[Beetwasher]

11. I'm Exasperated. I'm Spent.

This is too much...

[Just Me]

9. He "smirked" when Leahy asserted that the constitution must remain

intact notwithstanding the existence of terrorism (which always has and always will exist).

It freaked me out!! :scared:

These people may very well be capable of doing whatever it takes to maintain power. I really am afraid of them!!! :scared:

[shanti]

37. be afraid, be very afraid

asscrack is a very scary man :scared: religious fanatics are the worst, especially the holy rollers, like him. these are the types that want to force armegeddon...

[wndycty]

12. Join the drive!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1747458

[Solidarity]

15. Ashcroft Under Pressure: Financial Times Article

Ashcroft under pressure on US torture policy
By FT reporters
Financial Times


Published: June 8 2004 17:47 | Last Updated: June 8 2004 17:47


John Ashcroft, US attorney general, on Tuesday came under pressure from Senators over US policy on the torture of prisoners. The attorney general dismissed suggestions that any actions by President George W. Bush or the Department of Justice had led directly to prisoner abuse by US soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

Mr Ashcroft, who was giving evidence to the Senate judiciary committee, came under sharp questioning from Senators during the hearing on Tuesday morning. He said that "any notion" that actions by the President or the Department of Justice "has directly resulted in atrocities is a false and inappropriate conclusion".

Sen Edward Kennedy held up photographs of the alleged abuse at Abu Ghraib jail in Baghdad as he questioned the attorney general. Mr Ashcroft added that any soldiers found to have been in contravention of the law on the use of torture of Iraqi prisoners would be treated accordingly.

http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullS...

[Just Me]

16. I wanna see the headline: "Contempt of Congress!!!"

Throw down the gauntlet!!! It's time to battle the bad guys!!!!

[funnymanpants]

18. Ahhh! Opposite headline on CNN

Instead, have a lookat CNN:

Ashcroft: 'This administration rejects torture'

Can you frickin believe it? CNN makes it sound like the hearing showed that Ashcroft was against torture, when in essence the opposite occurred!

No matter how many times I see the main stream media, I want to say "That's the worst thing I've ever seen." Only to be more surprised the next day.

Long live Pravda.

[happyending]

19. amazing isn't it?

The media in our country is simply corrupt.

[Just Me]

23. Ewwwwww, GRRRRR!!! n/t

[funnymanpants]

17. Prison abuse goes to top

But the administration is getting away with it. Torture was, like, last week's news, dude! So get over it! There aren't any pictures, so do you think the American public will give a damn?

[Emboldened Chimp]

20. Did he lie under oath?

If so, Impeach his ass!

[Leilani]

32. He is so arrogant

he just refuses to answer questions...

& this is his first appearance in 15 months!

[TahitiNut]

22. ... or any order NOT to violate "torture bans"

These people are outlaws.

[Barrett808]

24. Rumsfeld approved 24 interrogation techniques, seven outside field ma

Rumsfeld approved 24 interrogation techniques, seven outside army field manual

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld last year approved 24 interrogation techniques for use on suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, including seven techniques that were not in the army's field manual for interrogation, a Pentagon spokesman said.

Commanders were required to give Rumsfeld seven days' notice before using four of the additional techniques, but three other additional techniques required no special notification, said Bryan Whitman.

"At this point in time, I can't tell you specific techniques because those remain classified," he told AFP.

Justice Department lawyers are reported to have argued in legal analyses that torture could be justified as a necessity to prevent attacks, raising new questions about the actual interrogation techniques that have been authorized.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040608/pl_afp/us_iraq_prisoners&cid=1521&ncid=1480

[leesa]

40. Was Rummy a 'hit man' for a while? Yikes!

[tom_paine]

25. He's lying. He's a troturer like his spiritual antecedents

You know, Torquemada, Pope Innocent (and his Magic Passover Blood Libel), and the rest.

Ashcroft would torture us all for free. hell, he'd probably have a stiffy while smearing the poop on us.

[74dodgedart]

26. If the "administration rejects torture" then how come they were...

researching the legality of it. Who new about the policy paper and what was its purpose ?

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[maddezmom]

28. huh?

got a link?

[Zen]

29. Yeah, 'cause you asked...

http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/06/08/prisoner.abuse.whitehouse.ap/index.html

[struggle4progress]

31. Oooh! They really oppose torture. But just in case they need it ...

they have their lawyers draft tons of memos explaining why it's OK. Then (to stay in practice I suppose) they ship Arar off to Syria and set the dogs to work in Abu Ghraib. Clever, huh?

[Barrett808]

30. Hey, the mods lock my thread, too. C'est la vie in the chatverse. n/t

[Justice]

33. Here Is Why Ashcroft Is Wrong

We learned last week that Bush consulted with a private lawyer, (Jim Sharpe was it?) in case he needed advice regarding his expected testimony in the Plame matter. Now, everyone uniformly acknowledged (all media, everyone on DU) that the reason for the private lawyer was so that Bush could obtain confidential advice - advice that would be subject to the attorney client privilege. Everyone also acknowledged that advice to bush from a lawyer working for the government would be subject to disclosure - that bush could not claim privilege with a government lawyer.

So how on this earth does Ashcroft come in under oath less than a week later and try to snow congress that suddenly Justice lawyers (who work for the government) can give the president advice on an issue - and the president is entitled to claim that advice is confidential.

Here is what the WP reported about what Ashcroft said today:

"Ashcroft said he would not discuss the contents of the memo and said he would not turn it over to the committee. "I believe it is essential to the operation of the executive branch that the president have the opportunity to get information from the attorney general that is confidential," he said."

So Cheney is entitled to confidential advice from energy industry executives to formulate energy policy, and Bush is entitled to advice from Justice that cannot be disclosed to congress? HUH? What kind of airline are these guys running?

[maryallen]

35. Yes, but this is MORE than advice:

It became policy.

[Fovea]

41. What kind of airline are these guys running?

It is a self-referential, hermetically sealed, auto-verifying, theocratically oriented, cluster f**k in the form of a multi corporate, multinational criminal conspiricy for monopolistic profit and global control.

And you can quote me.

[Jack Rabbit]

34. Ashcroft is full of baloney

Of course Ashcroft said, "There is no presidential order immunizing torture." He doesn't think applying electrodes to an Arab's testicles and turning on the juice is torture. To a white man it might be, but not to an Arab.

Reading over his testimony today I see a bunch of weasel words and evasions of questions. "Do you thing (the Gonzales) memo is good law?" "I condemn torture," he answers, still not telling anybody what he means by that or whether he thinks Gonzales' memo is good law.

The neoconservatives are the Nazis of our time. Ashcroft is just one more.

[shanti]

36. more freakin lies

they will never do anything else.

[wellst0nev0ter]

38. Steno Sue's Interpretation Of Events

". . .Angry Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee called on Ashcroft to provide the document. They said portions that have appeared in news reports suggest the Bush administration is reinterpreting U.S. law and the Geneva Conventions prohibiting torture."

*sigh*

[livinginphotographs]

39. I saw an excerpt on McNeil Leher

Or whatever it's called these days....

Ashcroft stuttering in front of Ted Kennedy cracked me up. When Ted Kennedy accused him of being in contempt of Congress, and Ashcroft started the nervous smirk and the shifty eye thing, I was able to imagine for a second King George in front of the Hague. It gave me a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling....