Brian L. Carter – 12/22/05

This page was last updated on December 22, 2005.

It’s hard to respect Bush; Brian L. Carter; Beaver County Times; December 22, 2005.

I find it hard to respect writers who don’t do their research, either on purpose or via ignorance.

The idea that we need anti-torture laws is simply a political stunt. The U.S. has already signed on to international anti-torture treaties and we have U.S. laws prohibiting the practice. How many laws do we need? This whole mess was simply a stunt to make it look like the U.S. condones torture.

Finally, here’s a question for people like Mr. Carter. If you have a terrorist in custody who knows when a bomb will go off that will kill Americans, is it OK to use torture to save the lives?

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I have always strived to respect whatever man has held the office of President of the United States.”

[RWC] Anyone care to guess which presidents Mr. Carter actually respected?

“But I find it increasingly difficult to respect a man who has thumbed his nose over and over at traditional American values and simple human rights.

“The Geneva Convention [sic], to which we purport to adhere, forbids the torture or mistreatment of prisoners of war.”

[RWC] If Mr. Carter would take the time to read the Geneva Conventions, he would find the Conventions don’t apply to terrorists and their ilk. The Conventions apply only to the official armed forces of countries that sign the agreement. In addition, those soldiers must wear legal uniforms in plain view. Their weapons must also be in view. Terrorists and their kind don’t meet any of these requirements.

“But yet it took the rebuke of John McCain, himself the victim of illegal torture, to remind our supposed moral leader and righteous commander in chief, that it was wrong to use such methods in war.”

[RWC] John McCain was fairly late to the party. Below is an excerpt from an order signed by President Bush on February 7, 2002.

“2b. I accept the legal conclusion of the attorney general and the Department of Justice that I have the authority under the Constitution to suspend Geneva as between the United States and Afghanistan, but I decline to exercise that authority at this time. Accordingly, I determine that the provisions of Geneva will apply to our present conflict with the Taliban. I reserve the right to exercise the authority in this or future conflicts.

“3. Of course, our values as a nation, values that we share with many nations in the world, call for us to treat detainees humanely, including those who are not legally entitled to such treatment. Our nation has been and will continue to be a strong supporter of Geneva and its principles. As a matter of policy, the United States Armed Forces shall continue to treat detainees humanely and, to the extent appropriate and consistent with military necessity, in a manner consistent with the principles of Geneva.”

“How are we to be the leaders in the spread of democracy if we employ methods reminiscent of paranoid dictatorship?

“All is not fair in love and war.”

[RWC] I wonder what it must be like to assume your country is no better than terrorists.