Attorney General nominee Judge Michael Mukasey was unable to decide whether waterboarding was torture, first claiming that he did not know exactly what was done. When Senator Whitehouse (D-RI) gave him a definition, the Judge demurred again on the grounds that he did not know the details and thus should not comment.
The White House (NOT the Senator) explained today that Judge Mukasey could not comment because he has not been made aware of the details of our interrogation processes, and will not until his confirmation.
Well, Whitehouse (the Senator) did not ask him whether what the Administration was doing was torture. All he wanted to know is whether the procedure he defined as waterboarding would be torture. Any human being ought to be able to answer that.
Indeed, the White House (NOT the Senator) revealed too much in their defense of Judge Mukasey. By responding that the Judge does not yet know the details of what the Administration is doing, they confirm that waterboarding is indeed being done, but, perhaps, with a twist.
What could that "twist" be? I suggest lemon, or, more likely, lemonade. The victim is strapped to a board, lowered into the water and kept underwater for progressively longer periods but, upon being lifted out by his interrogators, he is offered a glass of lemonade, not a gin-and-tonic, thus countering the harsh treatment with TLC and displaying our cultural sensitivities by not offering alcohol.
The White House's paranoia to prevent Judge Mukasey even from answering Senator Whitehouse's question says volumes about their practices. That Judge Mukasey would obey says a lot about his independence and integrity as Attorney General. Chuck Schumer ought to abandon his enthusiasm for a friend, and serve the country.
Is it only coincidence that the only candidate who is vehement on this subject is Sen. McCain, a veteran and a former POW? I am not surprised that President and Veep Chickenhawk are in favor of rendition, but why are the democratic candidates not unanimously calling for a nay vote for Mr. Mukasey?
sorry Mukasey-flunked that one.
I guarantee Paul supports the barbaric murder of babies in the third trimester by puncturing the skull and sucking out the brains. The innocents have self awareness, feel pain, and totally innocent and they are murdered without anesthesia since the hypocrite barbarians on the left can claim that these babies, minutes and inches from birth, aren't human so consequently they don't need anesthesia.
Why does Paul and other leftists support this barbarism, too save the life of a single pregnant women.
Yet, they oppose the torture of a terrorist in order to gain intel that would prevent an imminent terror attack that could save tens of thousands of innocent lives.
Is there a more clear illustration of the inadequacy/barbarism/hypocrisy of the progressive ideology.
Post this Paul, I am tired of getting censored on these leftist jack-booted blogs.
"Why does Paul and other leftists support this barbarism (3d trimester abortions) to save the life of a single pregnant woman"?
I guess this writer believes that allowing the mother to die is OK. I don't.
At this point in the birthing process, both are at risk, and a choice must be made. It is not a pleasant choice.
This writer is clearly anti-woman, does not believe she is capable, together with her doctor and her family and her God, to make this choice. I do. I don't think she needs politicians or government bureaucrats making that difficult decision for her, which is what this writer wants.
Each situation is unique. I prefer the woman, her doctors and support staff, to make this choice, not politicians. The former are all more trustworthy.
What doesn't add up is how you can OPPOSE the killing or torture of a terrorist when hundreds of lives can saved, while at the same time SUPPORT the killing of an innocent baby (feels pain, has self-awareness and all without anesthesia)to save the life of a single person (mother).
I see grand hypocrisy here, or at least some ideological confusion and inconsistency.
I do not rule the world, so I cannot define it.
What I can tell you is if I had to choose between spending 5 years in prison, or getting a bucket of water poured on my head. I think I would choose the bucket of water on my head. Yes, it would be scary to have plastic wrap covering my nose and mouth. BUT, PRISON IS TORTURE.
Taking someone's freedom away from them. Placing them into a jail cell for a length of time. Causing them to lose their job, family and children, is torture.
You condone torture by placing people in prison.
You also allow torture of the monetary type.
If I had to choose between sitting in a cold room and listening to loud rock music, or pay a $1,000 dollar fine?
Folks, I'm going to pick the loud rock music. $1,000 bucks is a $1,000 bucks..!!
No one, that I know of, is talking about cutting off someone's arm, or placing electricity to a person's genitals.
We are debating if "loud rock music is torture..??"
We really need to quit acting like pussies.
I understand that we are supposed to "hate Bush" and dig up as much dirt as we can. But I do not think "loud rock music" and a "bucket of water on someone's head" is causing America to look bad.
I believe it is the fighting between each other that is making us look bad.
I know this will work because I had it done to me last week and if someone threatened to do it to me again I would betray every state secret I could think of to avoid it.
Most of these terrorists are from Third World nations that have antiquated dental care.
How about performing Deep Root Planing on these murderers. They need it, lets give it to them.
How about prostate exams too!
It would be hilarious to listen to the Left figure out how to criticize Bush for providing essential and free medical care to terrorists.
If it please your honor, could we demonstrate on you the various "TORTURE" techniques (head slapping, water boarding, sleep deprivation, manacled in painful positions for long periods, frigid temperatures)? It may help enable you to undersand & answer the questions!
Stay safe, healthy and happy,
Love, Loretta
Is it torture when we do it to our own soldiers...or only when we do it to these low-life terrorist cowards?
What makes you think that a "low-life terrorist" is a coward? They may be just as brave as you or some member of an elite u.s. force. Perhaps more so.
Republicans say they can attack other countries at their slightest wish, and this is proper.
We have become a nation of arrogant, greedy, selfish people that put our wants and will above anyone or thing in the world.
Our government that have received power will not be satified until they have complete power , control and the wealth of this planet.
To hear republicans describe democracy, it is only democracy when they speak, freedom is only freedom for them to have, rights are only rights for them to grant or take, wealth is only for the elite & workers should be satified with any scrap thrown to them, social programs are for the wealthy and the air - water and resources on this planet are their to use and do with as they see fit.
the people in the world are there for their profit and entertainment.
We are living under the control and power of the same type of government in which our forefathers founded this nation and fought for in order to gain their freedom and a new life.
History has shown that the greedy , selfish and corrupted people will always look for ways to control the power and wealth for their benefit only.
What about Al Gore and his incredible amount of Occidental Oil profits, as well as his unbelievable global warming profits.
How about George Cloony (great actor I must admit) who gets $20 million a movie for approx. 6 weeks of shooting (that's equal to $160 million a year avg).
What about Bill Clinton who recently spoke about the joys of being rich?
How about 8 of the top 10 richest people in the Senate are Democrats...led by John Kerry's $163 million fortune (doesn't even include his wife's half billion dollars).
Are these the rich people you're talking about? You probably forgot about those people, right?
I don't know how old you are, but one thing I'm learning as a Christian as I get older...is that I appreciate everyone. Even the rich people, especially those who worked their fingers to the bone 16 hours a day to become successful.
Brats who inherit fortunes, like Bush and Gore, will always be the exception. Most rich people worked their ass of for what they have.
What am I saying? I know they will. Whether it's fear of anthrax or threats against their families or fear that if they stand up to the Administration they believe that the Administration will start a war with Iran, it's clear that they don't have the back bone to do their jobs and represent the American people, and that their pledge to protect and defend the Constitution was just a meaningless mouthing of words when they took their oaths of office.
I and millions of others are mad as hell.
We don't care whether it's out of fear or out of greed that these "representatives" fail us. We want results.
Keep this ideologue OUT of the AG's office!
But what about the Democrats?
What is with them?
Are they really, as AHnold said, Girlie Men?
When are they going to show some backbone?
What are they so afraid of, Bush?
Water Boarding and Lemonade. A day at the beach
according to Mukasey. I guess Bush would say he looked far and wide and could not find an Attorney General who did not support torture.
Just like his daddy looked for a qualified black lawyer to be a supreme court justice and could only find Clarence Thomas.
bush wouldn't have nominated mukasey if he thought the guy would go against what bush wants. schumer needs to learn knowing someone socially does not mean you know them well.
However check it out in www.wikipedia.com
This chickenshit behavior from the Dems is just inconscionable.
We have only one person that gives the orders on our policies and how our government will be run.
There is to be no oversite to any of his actions or policies. Only what he wishes for Americans to see and hear will be allowed.