Lying, Spying & Torture (In No Particular Order)

~ As I was sayin' ~ a compendium of very recent news ~




Dems force White House to provide info on wiretaps:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2199279,00.html

Mukasey's nomination for AG stumbles on torture: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Attorney-General.html
Circuit Court redacts info on torure:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/24/AR2007102402639.html

France deliberating whether to file charges against Rumsfeld for torture: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-France-Rumsfeld.html

Jurist Guest Columnist on Extraordinary Rendition:
"'Extraordinary rendition' is an oxymoron. It is a blended term that implies there is a legal basis for kidnapping people and delivering them to third party country thumbscrew and shocks-to-the-gonads artists. Plain old rendition, of course, is the delivery of people to justice in foreign jurisdictions under the terms of treaties and in accordance with other legal constraints. The 'extraordinary' part of "extraordinary rendition," on the other hand, is simply a codeword for extrajudicial kidnappings that can only be taken in the pitch black world where law cannot go. These 'snatches' have mounted into the hundreds over the last six years, but there has never been any judicial or statutory authorization for this activity. "
http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2007/10/extraordinary-rendition-and-state.php

Also from Jurist: Former Gitmo prosecutor alleges political interference:
http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2007/10/former-guantanamo-prosecutor-claims.php

State Department hampers investigations of Blackwater by conferring immunity:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071029/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/blackwater_prosecutions;_ylt=ApukQGn88bHEnyTKLOshH1xh24cA

Bush was aware of legal problems with jurisdiction over Blackwater; said he delegated the problem ("That's how I work"): http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/10/29/BL2007102901024.html

UN Human Rights expert, "Scheinin, a law professor from Finland appointed by the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council, issued a preliminary report after visiting the United States in May. His final report was issued on Monday, coinciding with the report to the U.N. General Assembly's human rights committee."

He urged the US & CIA to end the practice of extraordinary rendition here: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-UN-US-Rights.html, also express[ing] regret to the committee that he couldn't interview detainees at Guantanamo in private."