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The buck stops on the president's desk as Harry Truman established for once and for all.
I believe that Nancy Pelosi is telling the truth in that video. Her body, her face, her voice and her words are all one. She has no questions, no doubts. She was not in the loop in so far as the specific torture methods were concerned.
My guess is that she was told something vague about enhanced interrogation techniques and she nodded.
She may have believed that the specific techniques used were not her business.
That is where she was wrong. Sections 1 & 15 of Article I of the U.S. Constitution states that "The Congress shall have the power . . . o make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces."
By ratifying and adopting the Geneva Conventions, Congress made rules that our military should have followed. Does anyone know what clause in the Constitution gives Congress or the president the authority to create and maintain the CIA? I suppose the necessary and proper clause is the excuse. But, in writing the Constitution, the Founding Fathers had the very specific purpose of limiting the federal government's ability and authority to wage war. Remember at that time the nation was nearly bankrupt due to the debts incurred during the Revolutionary War. They knew then what we are learning now: War is not only hell, but it corrupts governments.
It's time to return to the limitations of the Constitution with regard to waging war and gathering intelligence.
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