Just read it and it really is that SCARY (Torture Memo)

[troublemaker]

This has to be the most ad hoc bit of legal analysis since Bush v. Gore. It purports to be analysis but it's actually advocacy for rather novel theory of our laws; that the President is empowered and permitted to commit war crimes. Because it's advocacy generated in a non-adversarial context it reads like the first draft of a defense brief in a war crimes trial.

Everyone has read something about this memo, but it's worthwhile to read the thing itself. Granted, it's a pain to read, what with the redactions and all, but worth it. (If you want to skip to the really crazy parts go to pages roughly 22-24)

Complete, though redacted, memo linked below. (this link, at least in my browser, is easier to read than the MSNBC version):

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/military_0604.pdf

[Trillo]

1. I find the reasoning in this document to likely be similar

to the type of legal reasoning CEOs may use in their own flaunting of accounting laws and customary behavior. Most people, when presented with laws that have withstood the test of time, simply follow them.

It's no wonder that we find our leaders out of step with our own reality. These types of rationalizations, in their conception, are hypocritical. Laws are supposed to be for all of us to follow, but in reality, they're only for "little people" without hierarchical power.

[koopie57]

3. fuzzy reasoning

eom

[rumguy]

2. enron style legal reasoning