Apr 22nd, 2009
Posted by Suzanne Ito, ACLU at 1:20pm	Torture

Senate Report Confirms Top-Level Officials Authorized Torture

Late last night, the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) released its full report on the Department of Defense's (DOD) role in the treatment of detainees in U.S. custody (PDF). (A summary of the report was released last December, but it was only until last night that the full report was released after the government declassified it.)

Upon releasing the report, SASC chairman Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.) said:

In my judgment, the report represents a condemnation of both the Bush administration’s interrogation policies and of senior administration officials who attempted to shift the blame for abuse — such as that seen at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay, and Afghanistan — to low ranking soldiers. Claims, such as that made by former Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz that detainee abuses could be chalked up to the unauthorized acts of a “few bad apples,” were simply false.

We couldn't agree more, and have been saying as much all along. Christopher Anders, Senior Legislative Counsel for the ACLU's Washington Legislative Office, said in a statement today:

This report makes frighteningly clear that some of the darkest moments in our country’s recent past were choreographed at the highest levels of government… The people who were at the very top of the Bush administration and those at the top of the chain of command must be held accountable. Just as any other American would be investigated by a prosecutor for crimes committed, so must our government officials. We must ensure that our laws are impartially enforced against everyone.

This afternoon at 4 p.m. EDT, Chris will be on Crooks & Liars talking about the SASC report, and the ACLU's call for a congressional select committee to investigate how the torture memos released last week were authorized and written.

We're also calling on the Justice Department to appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate those who authorized these horrific acts of torture. Join us by signing the petition to hold these people accountable.

Permalink |	Torture

Tags: national security project

1. Vic Livingston Says:
   Apr 22nd, 2009 at 12:29pm

   ACLU AND CONGRESS MUST NOW ADDRESS DOMESTIC TORTURE...

   ...COVERT PROGRAMS THAT CONTINUE UNDER THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.

   http://nowpublic.com/world/bush-torture-memos-o ked-radiation-weapon-use-americans-too

   http://nowpublic.com/wor ld/gestapo-usa-govt-funded-vigilante-network-terrorizes-america

   OR (if links are tortured):

   http://NowPublic.com/scrivener

2. Hawaiian style Says:
   Apr 22nd, 2009 at 12:29pm

   So we know that a crime was committed.

   We know who did it.

   We know that we have signed into our law that we will prosecute those that torture.

   Now we can wait for all the reasons why we don't / won't investigate and prosecute.

3. sol Says:
   Apr 22nd, 2009 at 2:44pm

   why do you think that terrorrists should be treated the way they treat us???

4. Elizabeth Standen Says:
   Apr 22nd, 2009 at 4:41pm

   It is essential that the US engage in an investigation by Special Council into the Torture allegations.

5. Vron Says:
   Apr 23rd, 2009 at 12:14am

   I don't agree with a lot of what Bush did; however, I agree with what he had to do to keep our country safe. I guess the ACLU does not care that family members died on 9/11. All they care about is making the Bush years look bad. i wish the ACLU would spend time on things that really matter. I feel they should be tourtured and if they dont like don't get caught. Eye for and Eye!! i think it should have been worse!

6. PATSY EDGERTON Says:
   Apr 23rd, 2009 at 5:12am

   I RECOGNIZE MY LEGAL RIGHT AS AN AMERICAN TO REQUEST HELP FROM THE ACLU:

   MR. CLINTON, YOUR RESPONSE DOES NOT BODE WELL WITH THE TRAIL OF SECRETS YOU PERSONALLY SCATTERED AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT AFFAIRS. WE ARE ALL HUMANS...MR. BUSH AND HIS STAFF INCLUDED.

   "SANDY BERGER". MR. CLINTON, WHY WOULD A MAN OF HIS STATUE AND DEVOTION TO YOU, TAKE A THOUGHT OUT TRIP TO THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS...ENTER WITH THE KNOWLEDGE HE IS ON A MISSION TO TAKE AND DESTROY PRESIDENTAIL PAPERS...NOT ONCE, BUT REPEATEDLY. SANDY BERGER STUFFED PRESIDENTIAL PAPERS (YOUR TERM) INTO HIS SOCKS ...NOT BY ACCIDENT, BUT BECAUSE THOSE PAPERS WERE NOT TO BE SEEN OR FOUND.
   ALL OF 'THIS' COVERT UNDERTAKING HAPPENED 'DURING' THE 911 COMMISSIONED INVESTIGATION.

   I ASK YOU, MR. CLINTON, WERE THOSE PAPERS RELATING TO CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE KING OF SAUDI, CONCERNING THE CAPTURE AND HANDOVER OF BIN LADEN TO THE UNITED STATES? THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN 'BEFORE' 911 OCCURED. IF ACTED UPON...911 WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.

   IN ESSENCE, THIS ISSUE OF TORTURE WOULD NOT BE BEING USED TO DESTROY THE 'OTHER PARTY' AND FUTURE PARTIES FOR THE DESIRED 'ONE PARTY NATION'.

   THERE COMES A TIME WHEN THE TRUTH WORKS, SO IF WE AMERICANS ARE TO BLEED AWAY OUR ARROGANCE AND BOW DOWN TO THE WORLD THROUGH THE CLEANSING OF OUR PAST SINS....LET IT BEGIN WITH YOU. PLEASE RELEASE THE QUESTIONS AND FINDINGS OF THE 'LIE DETECTOR TEST' SANDY BERGER WAS ORDERED TO TAKE DURING THE 911 INVESTIGATION.

7. anonymous comment Says:
   Apr 23rd, 2009 at 8:44pm

   Good, innocent, law-abiding Americans have been targeted by God-only-knows-who and for God-only-knows-what-reasons. (Of course those behind the harassment know "Why?")

   I've done nothing wrong and yet I have been the victim of unlawful (and surreptitious) entries into my home; my home, car and personal possessions have been vandalized and valuables have been stolen; and important papers have been taken, as well. I have been discredited and defamed while living (and doing research) in an area where I am not well known.

   The ACLU hears of these stories rather frequently (or so I've been told) and yet nothing is done. I can't even begin to imagine why the ACLU would condone these nationwide operations. Oh, yes, and did I forget to mention that I'm an ACLU member?

   If the ACLU ignores these crimes and abuses, while shouting to the high heavens about torture of "enemy combatants" at Gitmo and elsewhere, what is the real gain? We are not a nation of laws, if you fight for those who were tortured by our government and, yet, turn a blind-eye to abuse right here at home that is just as bad, if not worse.

   Oh, and the police? “No evidence, no crimes, so the victim must be “nuts.” And if it isn’t obvious, they go on a witch-hunt it so. Please do something. This is not an isolated incident. There are many good Americans who really do need your help.

8. sosueme Says:
   Apr 24th, 2009 at 9:23am

   As I reflect back on the events that have taken place in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave since 911 I am deeply saddened that such a brutal act of war against the U.S. led to the redefinition of our security policies like the Patriot Act, privacy invasion, airport security, strip searches of schoolchildren, etc., and raised the awareness of individuals that some of our basic human, constitutional and civilian rights are glibly compromised on a day to day basis.
   I do defend President Bush's actions taken to protect our homeland and us from future attack but what surprises me even more is the outrage voiced by infringements on individuals' rights is calendared to 911.
   The Bush Admisnistration practices being scrutinized daily now, which were easily enacted and at first universally accepted as necessary to safeguard us after 911, I believe, were refinements of things that were already taking place in this country from its birth. They knew, they did it and lthe changes were simply more transparent so that the general public and those working tirelessly to protect our rights became more aware of it.
   Every government engages in some form of domestic spying; its the actions taken against citizens and residents once the data is collected is what makes the difference between (in theory) a totalitarian and democratic country, but it is naive of us to use 911 as the sole platform from which we examine these perceived changes in how we, as individuals, as identifiable groups, and collectively, are viewed, examined and treated by our elected officials and government employees, (whose numbers by the way seem to be growing geometrically.)
   While the scope of the most current issues need to be analyzed to enforce our favored system of checks and balances to determine whether treaties and conventions were breached in the name of national safety, let us not forget the McCarthy era, the Hollywood Blacklists, the elitist globalists quietly predefining our future economies and distribution of the world's resources, kind of hitting the general populace before we really know what hit us, we must examine the changing wave of trends with academic honesty while still recognizing the ages old thirst for power and material resources and acknowledge and embrace that competitive side of our humanity that will never disappear and vest power in those we trust. If our leaders were to become that lame, a more aggressive force would most certainly take their place. It's Darwinian isn't it?
   That being said however, I do not support indiscriminate, unchecked domestic spying, our homes being entered, our private conversations censored, our bodies invaded and assaulted by radioactive wands held by the hands of the TSA, or our trusted teachers, our lives recorded by spy cameras or have private information constantly gathered about us that can be used in any way, discriminately or indiscriminately, secret files created, often by many who probably shouldn’t have that kind of authority in the first place. ( Does anyone recall a university study from the 70's or 80's where 2 groups of students assumed the role of prisoners and prisoner guards? Over time, these groups no longer saw each other as collegial classmates participating in a research study. The fake prisoner guards actually became increasingly verbally and physically aggressive and the fake prisoners became increasingly oppressed and submissive. The study ended when the fake gaurds became physically violent. I wonder what could have happened if the fake guards saw the submissive prisoners as an actual threat. How far would they have gone?)
   And with all sincerity I hope that our nation’s best and brightest find a better way based upon the founding principles of this country and that those who’ve abused their privileges for so long they don’t know the truth anymore and probably spend more time protecting themselves from scrutiny rather than protecting us - well them pass with the changing season.

9. FAB Says:
   Apr 24th, 2009 at 11:21am

   As a conservative American I believe in America first. Your so damn concerned about terrorists rights why don't you go to Iraq, Iran etc & help their people & see how far you get. Concerned over harsh interrogation techniques are you? Has anybody been decapitated, or blown up? Your tearing America down to serve your phony, hypocritcal liberal views. Your slime & you will burn in hell.

10. Douglass J. Denman Says:
    Apr 24th, 2009 at 11:42am

    When will you people realize that the US is at WAR and that war is not pretty. One must do everything & anything to win and to protect this country and all its citizens. Please support your country and stop trying to tear it down.

11. roald Says:
    Apr 27th, 2009 at 1:04pm

    Vron - why do you think that torture saved any innocent lives? Torture is wrong. No exceptions. Doesn't matter what someone else did.

12. Rekko98 Says:
    Jun 2nd, 2009 at 7:46am

    Please see the following links for more on the SASC report and its methodology:

    http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/or_20090 110_9776.php

    http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/04/la wyers-letter-counters-torture-report/

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