Torture, War, and Presidential Power

[Centre_Left]

Paul is a libertarian, but that's my point. Both loons on the left and the right can agree that the state is never justified in resorting to torture for ANY reason. Whatever role you believe government should play in society, it should never play the role of torturer. Yet, adopting torture as a standard means of extracting information seems to be the direction where the government is heading, if it has not already arrived there.

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Torture, War, and Presidential Powers

by Representive Ron Paul (R-TX)

A Wall Street Journal article last week detailed a Department of Defense memo that discusses the legality of interrogation and torture methods in the wake of events at Abu Gharib. The document reportedly advises that the president has authority to order almost any action, including physical or psychological torture, despite federal laws to the contrary. The Pentagon lawyers who drafted the memo were not shy about blatantly asserting that the Commander-In-Chief can break the law when necessary, as evidenced by this quote from the memo: “Sometimes the greater good for society will be accomplished by violating the literal language of the criminal law.”

(snip)

Legal issues aside, the American people and government should never abide the use of torture by our military or intelligence agencies. A decent society never accepts or justifies torture. It dehumanizes both torturer and victim, yet seldom produces reliable intelligence. Torture by rogue American troops or agents puts all Americans at risk, especially our rank-and-file soldiers stationed in dozens of dangerous places around the globe. God forbid terrorists take American soldiers or travelers hostage and torture them as some kind of sick retaliation for Abu Gharib.

(snip)

It is precisely during times of relative crisis that we should adhere most closely to the Constitution, not abandon it. War does not justify the suspension of torture laws any more than it justifies the suspension of murder laws, the suspension of due process, or the suspension of the Second amendment.

(snip)

Conservatives should understand that the power given the president today will pass to the president’s successors, who may be only too eager to abuse that unbridled power domestically to destroy their political enemies. Remember the anger directed at President Clinton for acting “above the law” when it came to federal perjury charges? An imperial presidency threatens all of us who oppose unlimited state power over our lives.

http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2004/tst061404.htm

[teryang]

1. Loons?

[Disturbed]

2. War Crimes.

The US Govt is accountable.

[HarveyBriggs]

3. Perhaps you have not heard ,,,

Those spooky sounding birds of northwoods lakes can vote.

Harvey Brigga

[Th1onein]

4. Watch it with the "loon" crap, friend.

eom

[Centre_Left]

5. Jeez

In my neck of the words, being considered a political "loon" is somewhat of a point of pride. It suggests that you have enough intelligence and concern about politics to have views beyond the mainstream.

[Th1onein]

6. Whatever........."loon," by most people's standards and vocab means "nuts"

eom