Links are collecting in my bookmarks so I’ll post these now for some quick reading and I’ll tie them into War on Terror, Torture and the American Identity Crisis later.
- Public Perceptions of Enhanced Interrogation, Ed Gillespie and Whit Ayres, August 26, 2009
- Obama overturns Bush policy on state secrets, AFP, September 23, 2009
Excerpts:
Public Perceptions of Enhanced Interrogation, Ed Gillespie and Whit Ayres, August 26, 2009 – Excerpt:
Based on polling by Resurgent Republic, Attorney General Eric Holder’s appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate CIA officers over their interrogation of terrorism suspects is not likely to be well received by most Americans.
From May 11-14, 2009, Resurgent Republic conducted an extensive survey of registered voters regarding the debate over harsh interrogations of high-value al-Qaeda detainees. The survey specifically asked about criminal investigation of those involved in conducting enhanced interrogation techniques:
Congressman A says there should be a criminal investigation into the Justice Department lawyers who wrote legal memos authorizing harsh interrogation techniques. We need to hold people accountable for their advice justifying what was really torture.
Congressman B says there should not be a criminal investigation into harsh interrogation techniques. That investigation would divide the country, turn policy disagreements into criminal charges, and have a chilling effect on future efforts to keep America safe. We should thank the people who kept us safe, not prosecute them.
Sixty-two percent agreed with Congressman B, including a vast majority of Independents (66-29) and an overwhelming majority of Republicans (79-18). Democrats were evenly split (47% favored Congressman A and 45% favored Congressman B).
Obama overturns Bush policy on state secrets, AFP, September 23, 2009 – Excerpt:
WASHINGTON (AFP) — President Barack Obama’s administration on Wednesday made it more difficult for the government to suppress information on security grounds, amid allegations the power was used to cover up Bush-era excess.
Attorney General Eric Holder announced that from today he would personally review claims to state secrecy privilege, and vowed tougher standards would be put in place.“Under the new policy, the department will now defend the assertion of the privilege only to the extent necessary to protect against the risk of significant harm to national security,” a Justice Department statement said.
…
The administration of president George W. Bush was accused of overusing the power, invoking it to suppress information in cases dealing with controversial wiretapping and interrogation methods.
The privilege was also invoked “to stymie legitimate cases against government misconduct,” according to the American Civil Liberties Union, a rights group, citing a case against a Boeing subsidiary for alleged involvement in renditions.
Similar Posts:
- War on Terror, Torture and the American Identity Crisis
- Book Review: Torture Taxi: On the Trail of the CIA’s Rendition Flights
- Book Review: Because It Is Wrong: Torture, Privacy and Presidential Power in the Age of Terror
- Supreme Court Agrees; Torture Is A Foreseeable Consequence