The Torturous Bush Presidency was a Cabal of War Criminals

"We also have to work, though, sort of the dark side, if you will. We've got to spend time in the shadows..." - Dick Cheney

Sunlight is the best disinfectant. The US finally released a report on the Torture used at the behest and urging of the Bush/Cheney Regime shedding light on one of the most heinous, unconscionable crimes of the 21st Century. Of course, We, the People and the rest of the World have known for over a decade the Bush/Cheney Regime requested, created, oversaw and protected the Use of Torture or as it euphemistically became known as "Enhanced Interrogation Techniques".

Right after 9/11 Dick Cheney told the Nation and the World, the New American Policy was Torture. Who would be tortured? Anyone. Everyone. Innocence and Guilt were non-factors. Bush and Cheney wanted Torture.

Whole sections of the Executive Branch were devoted to making Torture Official US Policy, the Justice Department was co-opted into crafting "legal" arguments for the efficacy of Torture and the rescinding of the "quaint" Geneva Conventions. White House officials made repeated Sunday Talk Show appearances hinting at the dozens of plots stopped by Torture. Jack Bauer would save Fox America through Torture. Torture was the Universal Panacea of the Bush White House.

But, Americans have known since the Philippine Insurrection, that Torture is wrong. Until 2001 and the Bush/Cheney Regime and their duped or willing accomplices. A Harvard Student Research Paper found that when Americans learned of the Abu Gharib scandal suddenly Bush Torture Lawyers began to push the notion of "Harsh" or "Enhanced Interrogation" methods to their media contacts and the Media stopped calling referring to The Bush Regime's War Crimes Torture and began to pretend as though there was a hotly contested debate about what is and what isn't Torture. Thus, we magically invented "two sides" of the Torture issue.

The report is just the latest reveal of the brutal War Crimes committed by the Bush Regime. And those war crimes were enabled by the worst Traitors in American History: Conservatives.

So, while Torture doesn't work it was successful,

"The United States of America is awesome, we are awesome. But we’ve had this discussion. We’ve closed the book on it, and we’ve stopped doing it. And the reason they want to have this discussion is not to show how awesome we are. This administration wants to have this discussion to show us how we’re not awesome." - Andrea Tantaros

Awesome?!? What childish drivel. What codswallop. Either Awesome Tantaros and many conservatives are lying or they don't have the courage of their convictions. Torturing people under the rubric of the Global War on Terror was either harmless Frat Boy pranks or an invaluable tool which stopped hundreds of Terrorist Attacks, saved thousands of lives and led to the kill of Osama Bin Laden.

But, besides giving Cheney Sadistic Thrills Torture doesn't work. Anyone who supported or voted for John McCain should know Torture is not useful in gaining information and gaining information through coercion is not only futile but criminal.

The clearest example of an interrogation practice that will void a confession is the infliction of physical force or pain upon the person under interrogation, because it is an incontestable fact that harm of this nature may produce a confession of guilt from an innocent person. This is also true as regards indirect physical harm - for instance, an unduly prolonged continuous interrogation, especially by two or more interrogators working in relays or the deprivation of food, water, or access to toilet facilities for an unreasonable period of time. A threat of physical harm may have a similar effect --- the extraction of confession from innocent persons. - Fred E. Inbau

Unless, that is, you actually believe that all those woman tortured by the Inquisition were, in fact, really Witches.

George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, John Yoo, Alberto Gonzales, David Addington, Ari Fleischer, Liz Cheney, Monica Goodling, Jay Bybee and hundreds of others in the Bush Cabal are War Criminals. Indeed the worst of sort of war criminals for they, safely ensconced in air-conditioned state-side offices, far from the battlefield, coldly crafted Torture memos and policies. Clear cut criminal intent not influenced by the heat of the moment or fear of imminent danger.

Immediately Pepper Spray and Waterboard Megyn Kelley, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Michele Bachmann and Herman Cain

"You have no idea."
"We have no idea..." - We Were Soldiers

So, just like with Torture, Faux News and Republicans are attempting to create a doubt about Oleoresin Capsicum, commonly referred to as Pepper Spray.

Megyn Kelly and Bill O'Reilly had a nice back and forth wherein they tut-tuted anyone who would try to monday-morning quarterback police actions. As I've posted years ago, I will never question a Officer's split-second heat of the moment decision when faced with a dynamic situation, but the images of Lt. Pike walking back and forth, and in the best tradition of the Inquisition showing his intended victims the instruments of their torture, before unloading a huge container of OC Spray does not qualify.

However, Megyn Kelly then proceeded to tell Bill O'Reilly “It’s a derivative of actual pepper, it’s a food product, essentially. A lot of experts are looking at saying is that the real deal. Has it been diluted?” O’Reilly, thinking that the product used on the students wasn’t too severe, said, “They should have had more of a reaction, than that!”

As a Police Officer and Marine Corps Veteran I have experienced OC Spray, the Taser and gone through the Marine Corps gas chamber multiple times. Why is it ignorant Republicans and clueless Rightwingers feel empowered to speak about things with which they have no experience?

In one of the interminable Republican debates, Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann declared their full support for the continued practice of Water boarding, i.e. Torture. But, unlike the military she seeks to lead as Commander-in-Chief, Bachmann declared "It would be stupid for the the President [i.e. her] to be water boarded!"

Well, to the Honorable Mrs. Bachmann, you are on the House Select Committee for Intelligence, as a precaution you need to experience SERE school and water boarding in order to know who to resist it. And Mr. Cain you under suspicion of potential crimes, in order to fully ascertain what you did and did not do, you need to undergo water boarding. After all if you have nothing to hide...

So, just like with torture, Faux News is creating a cloud of utter bullshit to dupe their viewers. Faux News viewers, a group so misinformed and deluded, they are worse off than those who watch no news at all.

Barack Obama Perfect Christian

President Obama is the perfect Christian. No matter how many times Republican and conservative racists slap him in the face he is ready to offer up the other cheek.

It began prior to his nomination, continued throughout his first two years in office with loud and continuous aspersions about President Obama's faith, birth, heritage and family and repeated wishes for his failure, removal and death. Republicans place their party and the demands of the Rich Plutocratic Controllers over the safety of American Citizens. But, even after winning the 2010 elections, with Republicans gloating about working to harm Americans so President Obama fails, he offered forth his hand in brotherhood to work together.

This infuriates blood thirsty Republican savages, like Sarah Palin, who long to kill things and are aroused at the sight of blood. Sarah Palin, is the perfect Republican, a savage anti-christian, who cloaks herself in righteousness while merely using religion to advance herself and her family.

Christianity is at odds with natural human behavior. Love thy neighbor as yourself is a reaction one must learn. Naturally, the last two years have shown that Republicans are false christians. Just listen to them, every single one of the GOP platforms are in opposition to christs' teachings. Republicans succor and fawn over money and build vast temples for Moneychangers. Republicans hate the poor and use the power of Government to see them ground down to an early grave for the Money Masters they serve. Republicans are the first to cast stones for behaviors they engage in wantonly. Republicans love warfare and death and seek to sacrifice as much of humanity on the altars of War as possible.

Republicans hate christ and venerate death, war and avarice.

The Advocates of Torture

"Torture has never been a reliable means of extracting information. It is ultimately self-defeating as a means of control. One wonders it is still practiced." ~ Jean Luc Picard.

"We also have to work, though, sort of the dark side, if you will. ~ Dick Cheney.

“The gloves are coming off gentlemen regarding these detainees, [redacted] has made clear it wants these individuals broken,” MI ALWAYS OUT IN FRONT, (08/14/2003)

Americans have known for a century, since the Philippine Insurrection, that Torture is wrong. That was until 2001 and the Bush/Cheney Regime. A Harvard Student Research Paper found that when Americans learned of the Abu Gharib scandal suddenly Bush Torture Lawyers began to push the notion of "Harsh" or "Enhanced Interrogation" methods to their media contacts and those stories began to equivocate and pretend as though there was a hotly contested debate about what is and what isn't Torture.

The reason is simple, Dick Cheney said as much right after 9/11, American Policy was Torture. And who would be tortured? Anyone. Everyone. Innocence and Guilt were non-factors. Bush and Cheney wanted Torture.

Whole sections of the Executive Branch were devoted to making Torture Official US Policy, the Justice Department was co-opted into crafting "legal" arguments for the efficacy of Torture and the rescinding of the "quaint" Geneva Conventions, White House officials made repeated Sunday Talk Show appearances hinting at the dozens of plots stopped by Torture, Jack Bauer would save Fox America through Torture. Torture was the Universal Cure-all of the Bush White House.

George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, John Yoo, Alberto Gonzales, David Addington, Ari Fleischer, Liz Cheney, Monica Goodling, Jay Bybee are war criminals. And they are worst of sort of war criminals for they, safely ensconced in air-conditioned offices, far from the battlefield, coldly crafted Torture memos and policies. Clear intent not influenced by the heat of the moment.

Yet how could it be that a section of the American people not only defend the Bush Regime War Criminals but defend the use of Torture? Well, the Media stopped calling it Torture. And magically we have two sides of the Torture issue.

And worst of all everyone knows that Torture is not useful in gaining information and gaining information through coercion is not only futile but criminal.

The clearest example of an interrogation practice that will void a confession is the infliction of physical force or pain upon the person under interrogation, because it is an incontestable fact that harm of this nature may produce a confession of guilt from an innocent person. This is also true as regards indirect physical harm - for instance, an unduly prolonged continuous interrogation, especially by two or more interrogators working in relays or the deprivation of food, water, or access to toilet facilities for an unreasonable period of time. A threat of physical harm may have a similar effect --- the extraction of confession from innocent persons. ~ Fred E. Inbau

Illinois Law- (720 ILCS 5/12‑7) Compelling confession or information by force or threat.

(a) A person who, with intent to obtain a confession, statement or information regarding any offense, knowingly inflicts or threatens imminent bodily harm upon the person threatened or upon any other person commits the offense of compelling a confession or information by force or threat.

(b) Sentence. Compelling a confession or information is a: (1) Class 4 felony if the defendant threatens imminent bodily harm to obtain a confession, statement, or information but does not inflict bodily harm on the victim, (2) Class 3 felony if the defendant inflicts bodily harm on the victim to obtain a confession, statement, or information, and (3) Class 2 felony if the defendant inflicts great bodily harm to obtain a confession, statement, or information.

Related Disaffected Blog Posts:
Opening Salvo, First Blog Post:

Water Torture was used on the Filipinos ,this was eventually admitted to by future President William Howard Taft.

Torture.

George Bush oversaw the implementation of Torture in the name of the American people. Here is the strangest dissonance from the Pro-Human Pain and Suffering Right Wing: The harsh interrogation methods we used are so wimpy that slapping oneself on air is the equivalent. However, they are so awesome and useful that if need be we can use them and break someone in 35 seconds to save us from the Right Wing Extremist Bogus Ticking Time Bomb Scenario.

So it's both Torture and Not Torture.

Stalag 17, Revisited:

Remember the film Stalag 17? One of the techniques the Nazis use is Sleep Deprivation. Watch the scene. In it Von Scherbach also declares Lieutenant Dunbar is not a prisoner of war. Strange how much Ari "Sleep Deprivation, I have no Problem with" Fleischer resembles Von Scherbach and not Otto Preminger.

Delving Into the Water Cure:

Paul Kramer has a detailed expose for The New Yorker on it's use 100 years ago: Many Americans were puzzled by the news, in 1902, that United States soldiers were torturing Filipinos with water. The United States, throughout its emergence as a world power, had spoken the language of liberation, rescue, and freedom.

How to Beat Torture

Is Using A Minotaur To Gore Detainees A Form Of Torture?

Torture's back in the news because Dick the Pimp and Liz the Prostitute are out pumping the media and angrily defending war crimes on TV again.

The Republican Ticking Time-Bomb Scenario is easily countered. Any terrorist actually tortured, in the scenario, need only steel themselves for a short time and then provide false information.

For example, let us say you have knowledge a bomb is set to go off in 1 hour in LA or NY, if the bomb planting terrorist can hold out for 30 to 45 minutes and then pretend to succumb and provide you with the location of the bomb, the group will go off running 24 style to the wrong location as the bomb explodes in the other location.

To back my argument in the Mel Gibson MOVIE Payback. The crucial torture scene (in the Gibson cut of the film) has Gibson's character "Porter" undergoing a ball-peen hammer to the toes pretending to break and giving false information (in a sincere way) in order to send the torturers to a wrong location.

The Republican Pro Human Pain and Suffering Right Wing Extremists seem to think the prospect of wanting the torture to end is what is motivating the terrorist and don't seem to understand a committed terrorist has no expectation of survival. But, the major mass casualty attacks used by Dick the Pimp to justify his war crimes have usually ended with all the terrorists dead because they knew going in it would be a suicide mission. (See as examples the Moscow Nord-Ost Siege, the Beslan School Hostage Crisis, Mumbai Terror Assault and Dick Cheney's massive failure 9/11) Torture designed to inflict pain is used because the Torturer thinks the Tortured is worried about ending the torture with the mindset of living to see the future.

And then there is John McCain. Senator McCain proves some people are strong and crafty enough to give a false confession using information which the torturer thinks may be true. Although, I could be wrong about false confessions and all those people tortured by the Inquisition actually were Witches, flew around on brooms and were in League with Lucifer.

Of course, some sadistic fucks torture for the sheer pleasure of inflicting pain and tormenting the infidel and enemy. This describes most of the Right Wing FreeRepublic Extremists who are pro-torture.

Related:
Andrew Sullivan: Chris Wallace, Torture Defender
Obsidian Wings: Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc Torture Edition
Progress Not Congress: The Case Against Liz Cheney's "Case"
Whiskey Fire: The Sacred Heart of Waterboarding
Sadly, No: Torture a Movie

The Legacy

"Torture has never been a reliable means of extracting information. It is ultimately self-defeating as a means of control. One wonders it is still practiced." ~ Jean Luc Picard

Watching the "warped frustrated old man" Dick Cheney who is "more machine now than man, twisted and evil" frantically defending his warcrimes has been illuminating. Cheney is even so desperate he's pimping out his own daughter to equivocate on Torture.

Cheney's Torture message incorporates several avenues of attack: What was authorized wasn't Torture, but even if it was the Democrat Party knew about it too, however we only used the tougher methods on a select few and despite everything the methods protected America from future attacks.

Part of the Cheney defense strategy is if Torture hearings would threaten to bring down Pelosi and Reid (and other Democratic Party members) then the Dems and the NBC championed, Moveon.org backed, Soros Funded Liberal World Wide Conspiracy won't be willing or able to investigate the matter fully.

This is actually a fairly solid plan as the Democrats probably wont be willing to move forward unless they have built up enough of a wedge in people's minds that Pelosi and other Democratic members of congress were not given the full information or were actively kept in the dark about the depth and nature of the methods.

Another line of the Torture defense strategy comes when Liz Cheney opens her mouth and Dick's (words) come out. We only used the methods on select few. However, this part undercuts the idea that the methods used helped to protect America. When raids are done and insurgents rounded up it's very difficult to identify them. They don't have social security numbers, many don't know their birthday, there were no fingerprint databases so it's possible after a raid on a VBIED warehouse that some HVT was there and got picked up with the rest of the lower level chaff. He won't speak up and confess because he's hoping to be detained for a short period of time before being released.

Therefore it is only prudent that we must Torture every single prisoner of war. How will we know, know conclusively, one of those terrorists we captured did not just recently meet with UBL in Damascus after having planned the next 9-11 unless we water board him?

Underlying all the Torture talk is this message from Cheney: Attempt to bring me down for warcrimes and I will destroy America. It's the MAD gambit. The Republicans and their Toxic Allies will work ceaselessly to turn the regular Americans against one another, fragment society and cheer on another terrorist attack.

And that is The Legacy of the Bush/Cheney Presidency. The Destruction of America.

Bush and Cheney will have accomplished a feat the Nazis, Soviets, Southern racists, Bill Ayers, all failed at; The Destruction of America.

Illinois Get To Know Your Laws 2

This is memo to President Obama. Sir, until your recent victory to the office of the Presidency you served as a Senator for the State of Illinois. Here in below is a law I believe you should acquaint yourself with and apply towards George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, and everyone else associated with Torturing enemies captured during the War on Terror.

(720 ILCS 5/12‑7) Compelling confession or information by force or threat.

(a) A person who, with intent to obtain a confession, statement or information regarding any offense, knowingly inflicts or threatens imminent bodily harm upon the person threatened or upon any other person commits the offense of compelling a confession or information by force or threat.

(b) Sentence. Compelling a confession or information is a: (1) Class 4 felony if the defendant threatens imminent bodily harm to obtain a confession, statement, or information but does not inflict bodily harm on the victim, (2) Class 3 felony if the defendant inflicts bodily harm on the victim to obtain a confession, statement, or information, and (3) Class 2 felony if the defendant inflicts great bodily harm to obtain a confession, statement, or information.

Please Mr. President have this matter investigated and use the statements made by Mr. Cheney, "I was involved in the helping getting the process cleared. They talked to me as well as others. I supported them." as evidence in their criminal trials.