I’m writing today to ask you to oppose John Brennan’s nomination to head the CIA. This country should not put into office someone who helped bring about the torture regime. It’s bad enough that it happened at all. It’s bad enough that it happened in our name. It’s bad enough that that there were no prosecutions above the lowest levels. But for God’s sake, the least the Senate can do is oppose a high level torturer for a job at the CIA.
And look, I know that other than the torture, Brennan is highly qualified. But what a qualifier to have to add! It seems that some things should be off limits.
And yes, I realize this could be a political blow to Obama. I recognize the problems with that, and as someone who supported him, that will be too bad. But he shouldn’t have nominated someone who supported a program that “included slamming detainees’ heads against walls; prolonged standing in stress positions; beating and kicking; prolonged shackling of hands and feet; and much more.”
Thank you,
Carl Ballard
If you want to write Cantwell or Murray an email, the forms are at their names.
I’m conflicted… yes, he helped set up the torture regime, but Sullivan says he’s one of the good guys when it comes to the drone program:
http://andrewsullivan.thedaily.....round.html
Maybe he’s changed…
Done and Done.
I noticed that Cantwell had a button asking if you wanted a reply, with “No” already selected. I think that these buttons should be relabeled to “No” and “Pull a Cantwell.” Or maybe just “No.” The response would likely be the same.
It’s interesting watching the Left, which so vocally objected to just about everything GWB43’s administration did to combat terror, squirming, grimacing, and rationalizing so that something they claim(ed) to abhor can be tolerated and even supported now that the conduct is being perpetuated and in some instances even greatly expanded by a president they like.
Try K-Y. It might help.
President Cheney and Little bush approved torture (and probably got off on it). Barack Obama will never approve torture. It is the difference between human decency and the utter lack thereof.
Please point to anything that Little bush touched that he didn’t completely fuck up. Anything. Please.
@ 4
Barack Obama will never approve torture.
I suppose they’re just selling Girl Scout cookies at these sites, now that Obama’s president:
Obama Administration Interrogating Terror Suspects Locked Up Abroad (Again)
http://www.motherjones.com/moj.....-detention
Why, that can’t be torture. President Obama says it isn’t. /sarc
We’re using drone strikes. We’re wire-tapping. We’re following the money. We’re doing rendition and we’re doing it in places that Bush wasn’t using.
I’m just fine with Obama saying that we’re not torturing. I actually believe he has enough sense of responsibility to do what is necessary, regardless of the statements he makes in public.
@5 I’m wondering if there’s even a degree of deliberate “plausible deniability” in play.
I used to be a fan of the “JAG” TV series, and remember one episode that depicted a situation in which the accused in a military trial was party to knowledge of “certain events” that was so highly classified that nobody except those directly involved could be told…including the Commander-In-Chief. Who knows if there are such rules in place, but the notion’s just crazy enough to be plausible.
In any case, if “harsh interrogation” is still going on, at least Obama, unlike his predecessor, doesn’t seem to be getting his rocks off over it.
@ 6
In any case, if “harsh interrogation” is still going on, at least Obama, unlike his predecessor, doesn’t seem to be getting his rocks off over it.
See @ 3
@5 and once again, Please point to anything that Little bush touched that he didn’t completely fuck up. Anything. Please.
Can you?
@ 8
SWIFT. It was the NYT that fucked that one up.
@9, are you now saying that the NYT was responsible for the utter failures of President Cheney and his drunken sock monkey puppet?
If so, I call, and raise you The Washington Post, BELO, and ABC News.
@3 It would appear that Doctor Bob’s solution to torturing innocent people is K-Y Jelly.
Btw, Bob, if you want to prevent torture one of the better ways is not sleeping on the job while someone is plotting to attack you.
@10 The Faux Noise whores weren’t exactly crusading journalists through that whole thing.
@ 10
No, slow one. SWIFT was legal, covert, and effective until it was exposed by the NYT. You asked for one example. I provided one.
@11 So he’s switched specialties to proctology?
@14 – No, Mr. ADD, I asked you to name anything that President Sock Monkey touched that he didn’t thoroughly fuck up.
Referring me to the NYT and or SWIFT (whatever that is) is not a defense. Particularly involving conduct that is indefensible.
As a point of interest, who told you about the Mother Jones article? Did you ever read it for yourself? Would you vouch for MJ in every area?
Why don’t we just get out of these foreign adventures and mind our own business so that organizations like the CIA are obsolete? Just wind-down the CIA and release all its secrets onto the Internet.
Not K-Y Jelly, Bob would use extra strength Icy Hot. And then he’d giggle as he used it on people. Cause he’s a republican. yahh Yahh Yeahhhhhh.
@18 Oh, I’m sorry. I must be getting old to have missed such an obvious joke about ultrasonography.
Grow a pair, you pantywaists.