hey Rumsfeld, torture this!

Rumsfeld torture charge in France - Oct. 26, 2007

Rumsfeld was engaged in sketchy, maybe even illegal behavior while operating on behalf of the Bush administration. We’ve been waiting for the stories to come out and today we were treated to a preview of what to expect as we approach the 2008 elections.

“France is under the obligation to investigate and prosecute Rumsfeld’s accountability for crimes of torture in Guantanamo and Iraq,” said FIDH President Souhayr Belhassen. “France has no choice but to open an investigation if an alleged torturer is on its territory. I hope that the fight against impunity will not be sacrificed in the name of politics. We call on France to refuse to be a safe haven for criminals.”

“The filing of this French case against Rumsfeld demonstrates that we will not rest until those U.S. officials involved in the torture program are brought to justice,” said CCR President Michael Ratner. “Rumsfeld must understand that he has no place to hide. A torturer is an enemy of all humankind.”

People have started talking, and the whistle blowers are just waiting for the right opportunity to come out and tell their story. Here is a story from a year ago about a woman who saw an order from Secretary Rumsfeld that permitted contractors to engage in torturous activity. The woman was humiliated and caged up with the anti-War “crazies” but in the end, the truth will set her free.

The “infamous torture memo”

Senator Leahy (D-VT) ripped into former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales

He talks about the department of justice becoming an “enabler” and an attorney for the President rather than an Attorney General of the United States. The Senator also mentions that it seems that regrets are had, not because mistakes were made, but because they were caught.

“I am not willing to accept a simple statement of ‘trust us’. I don’t trust you.”

Young ’soldier’ brags about a conquest in Iraq:

He says he “tortured…” and also “raped a girl in Iraq… she was prime.” The video hasn’t gone main stream, it is hard to know if it is ‘real’ or ‘fake’, but until the experts chime in.. I think it is best to chalk this up as an offset of American culture. The people are acting, talking and maybe this is a reflection of what Americans think or the unfairness they perceive is happening in Iraq. Note: the words are graphic and it isn’t fun to listen to.

Abu Ghraib - Iraq

The following videos are an example of what happens when the issue becomes political rather than humanitarian. It’s still effective, but troubling to see the issue exploited for political reasons. If it is injustice, it isn’t true that the entire Republican party is guilty of approving and accepting torturous activity.

Congress, torture, politics and the moral image of America

Prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib - unreleased photos and videos when this video came out:

Finally, Keith Olbermann roasts Vice President Dick Cheney on the issue of Water boarding

If you have any good videos or commentary to add, please post a comment and I’d gladly update the page over the weekend. Anyone interested in defending against the allegations of wrongdoing by our government / military officials?

Fred Soto is an Attorney and Entrepreneur from the Silicon Valley.
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