The Torture Debate, Cheney, Obama, and the First 100 Days

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An earlier contributer wrote, "The ONLY possible [war] "crimes" are when you purposely target civilians (like our enemies did at 911) OR if you kill the enemies held in custody."
The Geneva Convention (which the US signed) defines war crimes as, among other things, "...wilful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, including biological experiments, wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health, unlawful deportation or transfer or unlawful confinement of a protected person... ' [Article 147 of the 4th Geneva Convention]
A "protected person" is defined as "those who, at a given moment and in any manner whatsoever, find themselves, in case of a conflict or occupation, in the hands of a Party to the conflict or Occupying Power of which they are not nationals. Nationals of a State which is not bound by the Convention are not protected by it." [Article 4]
Nearly all of the 200 or so nations have signed the Geneva Convention, and therefore their nationals are protected. These include all nationals of the two nations we currently occupy: Iraq and Afghanistan.
Some argue that terrorists (and suspected terrorists) are not included. However, the convention states that its protections "cover the whole of the populations of the countries in conflict, without any adverse distinction based, in particular, on race, nationality, religion or political opinion, and are intended to alleviate the sufferings caused by war." [Article 13]
Iraqi and Afghan nationals have been abused in custody during the occupations [using methods previously condemned and prosecuted as torture by the US] and even the Pentagon admits that a number have died under interrogation. By definition of the Geneva Convention, war crimes have been committed. These should be investigated and those responsible prosecuted, be they Republican or Democrat.

Jon of PA 1:45PM April 24, 2009

I want to personally thank Dick Cheney for the privatizing of much of the US Military branches.
When he orchrastrated the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq , I knew he was a great businessman.
Since he's done that my Halliburton stock has gone right through the roof.
Thank You Dick Cheney!
Thank You! So Much!

A Jackson of KY 4:44AM April 24, 2009

Obama and his media spin machine are doing everything they can to divert attention from our slide into Socialism. Degrading and discrediting ANY conservative opinion even though there's a strong 47% of us that didn't vote for him. The more the voting public begins to actually educate themselves, the more they see where we've been and where Obama/Pelosi/Reid are taking US.
I've never really understood the term "War Crimes" anyway. War is dirty-ugly business and people die. The ONLY possible "crimes" are when you purposely target civilians (like our enemies did at 911) OR if you kill the enemies held in custody.
I'd rather we pour water own our enemies face instead of shaking their hand or bowing at their feet.

Chris Petty of GA 6:26PM April 23, 2009

We do not waste our time hating Cheney. We do need to ignore him as he has proven to be an unreliable public servant.

Sherwood MacRae of TN 5:37PM April 23, 2009

Billionaire Soros Bankrolling Calls for 'Torture' Probe
Where's the outcry about the rich and their influence on our governemnt?

Larry of CA 5:33PM April 23, 2009

Parts of the following is from Mary Kate Cary article on hypocrisy:
Let us support Hoekstra proposal:
He's asked the director of national intelligence to provide the names of all members of Congress who were ever briefed on enhanced interrogation.
He's asking that the memos listing the successes of the enhanced interrogation methods be released now as well, to be fair to both sides
He wants to include in any public review an assessment of "the likely damage done to U.S. national security by Mr. Obama's decision to release the memos over the objections of Mr. Panetta and four of his predecessors."
If the Obama adminstration wants transparency let's give it to them. The BIG question is how many Dems will be put under oath?

Larry of CA 5:22PM April 23, 2009