Bush the torturer
Is Bush really stupid enough to cast his first veto
against the $435 billion Pentagon appropriations bill that forbids the
"cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment" of prisoners in US custody, which was
passed by a 90 to 9 majority in the Senate? This proposal merely codifies what
has been assumed to be the law for decades and would require that all U.S.
troops, as well as other federal agencies such as the CIA, adhere to
interrogation and detention standards outlined in the Army Field
Manual.
If Bush goes on the record officially as objecting to this, it
will conclusively confirm that the torture policy being pursued at Abu
Ghraib, Guantanamo, and God knows where else (which virtually all Americans
abhor) is approved from the very top of this administration.
I hope everyone on these lists is following this closely and is prepared to
unleash the mother of all expressions of outrage by phone calls and letters to
representatives and senators (especially the egregious Cornyn who was one of
the 9 senators who voted against this legislation), letters to the
media, emails to our right wing friends and relatives, and everyone else who
still supports this criminal administration in any way at all.
Whoever gets the word first, please let the rest of us know as soon as
possible. I can't imagine an issue better suited for us to use to expose
the mendacity of the Bushites. If it does not arouse the sleeping citizenry
to get out the torches and pitchforks and impeach these cretins, then
nothing will, and we might as well give it up.
Charlie M
