Nominee’s Stand Avoiding Tangle of Torture Cases

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 — In adamantly refusing to declare waterboarding illegal, Michael B. Mukasey, the nominee for attorney general, is steering clear of a potential legal quagmire for the Bush administration: criminal prosecution or lawsuits against Central Intelligence Agency officers who used the harsh interrogation practice and those who authorized it, legal experts said Wednesday.

. . . .

The biggest problem for Mr. Mukasey remains his refusal to take a clear legal position on the interrogation technique. Fear of opening the door to criminal or civil liability for torture or abuse, whether in an American court or in courts overseas, appeared to loom large in Mr. Mukasey’s calculations as he parried questions from the committee this week. Some legal experts suggested that liability could go all the way to President Bush if he explicitly authorized waterboarding.

Waterboarding is a centuries-old interrogation method in which a prisoner’s face is covered with cloth and then doused with water to create a feeling of suffocation. It was used in 2002 and 2003 by C.I.A. officers questioning at least three high-level terrorism suspects, government officials say.

. . . .

“The facts are that an expression of an opinion by Judge Mukasey prior to becoming attorney general would put a lot of people at risk for what has happened,” Mr. Specter said.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/01/washington/01mukasey.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

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If Mukasey is lying already to cover for crimes he apparently knows were committed, he is beyond disqualified for serving as Attorney General of the United States, he is conspiring in the cover up of such crimes. KILL THIS NOMINATION NOW.

ALL the way around.

Refuse to confirm into our highest national law enforcement post an individual who will not commit to enforcing the law.

I have to say, given the level of dissatisfaction with other things, if congress buckles on this one I hope they are all out on their asses come the next election.

for anyone who votes to confirm this person. I actually think that the amendments to the war crimes act decriminalized waterboarding. That Congress does not repeal those amendments is an outrage. Congress needs to make waterboarding criminal again and then ask the nominee for attorney general whether he will enforce the criminal law.

and here...government admits to committing war crimes...yet government continues to pretend it's a matter up for debate.


"It was used in 2002 and 2003 by C.I.A. officers questioning at least three high-level terrorism suspects, government officials say."

"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time!"