Rumsfeld wants torture case dismissed(hearing set for today)

WASHINGTON - Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit that would hold him personally responsible for allegations of torture in oversees military prisons.


The lawsuit, filed by two civil rights groups, describes the imprisonment of nine foreigners detained in Iraq and Afghanistan. The lawsuit contends the men were beaten, suspended upside down from the ceiling by chains, urinated on, shocked, sexually humiliated, burned, locked inside boxes and subjected to mock executions.

President Bush has called the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq the biggest mistake of the war.

Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union and Human Rights First say Rumsfeld and top military officials authorized such abuses and should be held liable in federal court.

The Justice Department argues that Rumsfeld cannot be sued. Government officials are generally immune from lawsuits related to their jobs unless they violate a constitutional right.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061208/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/detainee_abuse

Of course they are generally held as immune but this is not a "general" situation and what they've done is criminal; so criminal that there's no way it can fall into the broad outline of statesmanship.

It's high time we start behaving like we constantlly claim to be doing and being the honest brokers we say we are.

happens *ss will pardon him.

What more needs be said?

uh, well, I'm pretty sure torture qualifies as a violation of both contitutional and human rights.

You could argue that since they were 'foreigners' on 'foreign soil' that it's not protected. However I believe the constitution charges 'officials' repesct and uphold the law of the land, of which the Geneva Conventions are a part.

Nice try, Rummy. Now it's off to the Hague with you!

If he's not convicted here, it sound like he's in MAJOR trouble in Germany too.

and quickly 'die' and his remains be 'cremated'?

Tut-tut

The BUSH legacy: 'air quotes'

...can "die" and somehow get resurrected on the Bush compound in Paraguay.

Him and Kenny boy can play cards with the descendents of ex-nazis for the rest of their unnatural lives.

Try him, convict him and send his ass away for years.

We need to put pressure on our Elected Officials to start looking into Criminal Prosecution of Rumsfeld, Cheney and Bush. C & B will be gone in two years (at the most, but hopefully sooner). What better way to celebrate a Democrat Victory of House, Senate and Presidency than seeing these War Crimnals perp walking.

Constitution, and have him point out where, specifically, it states that prisoner abuse and torture is deemed to be legal and acceptable.

1st time you go to court - ask for a summary dismissal...as long as there is no extreme miscarriage of justice, it gets denied and we move onto the next step...

If his counsel didn't do that they wouldn't be doing their job...

Oh driving by Rumsfeld,
lost loved ones and chums felled,
we sheehan how mums felt,
charmed ego needs some help,
lost in a rum spell,
war drunken rumsfeld,
decency felled and felt,
irrevocably,
in every heart.

since their session in 2004. There was some talk of charges being brought from other countries and they were looking for ways to lock in that only U.S. law would apply...U.S. law that gave them cover, of course. Hope other DUers can help me out on the details and correct my failing memory.

I remember watching CSPAN and seeing this "debate" about the President and his cabinet getting protection from prosecution in things dealing with the "war". GOP congresspersons were visibly worried about. It was stunning to watch. This was during the 2004 campaign season and Bush's haystack hoo-hah rallies were dominating the news.

Now, they have the Military Commissions Act and IIRC that is one of those 'ex-poste facto' (sp) pieces of legislation. Didn't they put in the MCA that they can't be charged?

Or our rights as citizens mean nothing. No other country should have legal jurisdiction over something that didn't even happen in that country.

But that's just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions.....

Bite me Bumsfeld. The suffering in the world that YOU caused, should be accountable. You're it.