The T word

[spooked]

At Rumsfeld's conference yesterday, he made a point to say that ABUSE is "technically diferent from TORTURE".

Rumsfeld stressed: "I"M NOT GOING TO ADDRESS THE TORTURE WORD"

We need to realize that it seems important to the administration to keep the focus on "Abuse" and not "Torture", as they have probably been advised by their lawyers. Obviously, the stakes will be much higher on the world stage if this is classified as TORTURE.

Any insights anyone?

Why is Rumsfeld so afraid to use "THE T WORD"?

[hippywife]

1. It would mean

accepting responsibility for this whole stinking mess and there is no one in this administration with the guts to admit they were wrong. That trend was set by their glorious leader who can't think of a single mistake he has made.

It also reflects the CYA attitude of many, many people these days. "Never admit to being wrong."

[Kipper58]

2. Attaching electrical cable is not torture?

Gee - I don't think Mr Rumsfeld would make such a lawyerly distinction if his genitals were being wrapped in copper wire!

[Direckshun]

3. Rumsfeld has a close-minded opinion of what consitutes torture:

Rumsfeld is attempting to argue that "torture" can only occur physically, and that any mental or psychological pain we inflict is "abuse." If those definitions worked, he'd be saved from having to call anything in the pictures "torture," because nobody was photographed being physically injured. Unfortunately for him, those definitions just don't work.

Torture isn't just physical, Donny.

Besides, there isn't a line that divides "abuse" from "torture." Torture is an extreme form of abuse. So Rumsfeld needs to be a lot more specific that he actually is, before we even think about letting his soldiers off the hook for torture.

[Crasher]

4. ...

He's afraid to use it because Dubya et al used the word in association with Saddam so much. It'll look bad. And "abuse" has less bad connotations than "torture".

[Nihil]

11. Yeah ...

... as in "even the occasional priest will 'abuse' but only the
despicable Saddam would 'torture" ...

(BTW, welcome to DU :hi:)

[The White Tree]

13. This hits the nail on the head

John Stewart did a bit about it on The Daily Show on Monday night I beleive.

It was about how we invaded Iraq to shut down Saddams torture chambers and rape rooms only to replace them with new proprietors.

That we are capable of showing the same brutality (in this and in Fallujeh) really shreds our creditability.

What bothers me is that they never anticipated this would happen, nor took steps to try to prevent it. What's the excuse: Don't blame us for the brutality of our soldiers, we only had a year to prepare for this war and only spent a year fighting it. How could we have known. We'll do better in the next one.

[spooked]

15. WHO ordered the HOODS?!

The fact that the torture hoods were there proves that IT WAS ANTICIPATED TREATMENT.

Who ordered them?? How many were ordered??

Were the hoods "Made in the USA"??

We need to know the answers to these questions!

[Cocoa]

5. he hated the word "guerilla war" too

he essentially threatened any reporter that would use the word.

[spooked]

6. "Torture" must make this a "HIGH CRIME"

http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cat.html

UN Convention Against Torture

CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE
and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment

[Gman]

7. Abuse is one thing, torture

is a war crime. These people had a plan when they insisted they not be held responsible in the International Criminal Court. They paid off countries to not prosecute Americans. Now we know why they were so insistent.

As soon as someone close to the WH uses the T word the Hague will get ready for trial, one away or another.

[spooked]

8. Well in that case,

Spread the "T word"!

[Vickers]

9. "That depends on what your definition of 'is' is"

Substitute any of the following for the first "is"

- torture

- actionable intelligence

- DUI

- snorting cocaine

- seizure

- reptilian features

- showing up for Guard duty

- Mission Accomplished

And you have the Bush administration in a nutshell

[thecrow]

10. I don't think it's semantical, Rummy

and it's not going to "work for you".
But it must be "torture" for you to have to face this... or would that be too ABUSIVE a statement?
:nopity:
Awwwwwwww BUSHIT!

[spooked]

12. TORTURE = "WAR CRIMES"

Hague Tribunal Sentences Bosnian Serb for Torture
http://www.balkantimes.com/html2/english/021018-IVAN-004.htm

Three Bosnian Serbs Sentenced On Wartime Sexual Crimes
http://www.globalpolicy.org/wldcourt/tribunal/2001/0222icty.htm

"History is being made in The Hague this morning. Just a short time ago, the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal handed down sentences in the first-ever case on wartime sexual crimes"

Five Bosnian Serbs Sentenced For Torture and Murder in Bosnia
http://www.help-for-you.com/news/Nov2001/Nov02/PRT02-4Article.html

"The United Nations war crimes tribunal has found five Bosnian Serbs guilty of the 1992 murder and torture of Bosnian Croats and Muslims at a prison camp.

The Hague Tribunal sentenced taxi driver Zoran Zigic to 25 years in prison for beating, torturing and killing prisoners in the notorious Omarska camp in northwest Bosnia"

[CWebster]

14. He's nuts, of course

But there is no accountability for any of these bastards because there is no one willing to hold them accountable.

Kerry is more likely to triangulate their views than oppose them.

[Az]

16. Rummies technical difference between torture and abuse

Torture leaves evidence such as broken bones and injuries. Abuse leaves no trace. Which is this admins prefered way of doing things.

[spooked]

17. Headlines on FAUX "news"

"ABUSE Investigation"

talking points?