Revolution #018, October 16, 2005, posted at revcom.us
Has there ever been a regime, in the history of the world, that openly declared its right to apply "torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment?"
Yes-- the Bush Regime.
There are many regimes that carry out torture--most of them are linked to and working for the United States (many trained at places like the notorious U.S. Army School of Assasins). But these regimes claim, at least, to follow the Geneva Convention’s rules against "torture, and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
With the world shocked by images of torture at Abu Ghraib, and hellish conditions at Guantanamo, Senator John McCain introduced an ammendment to a bill in Congress authorizing billions for the war on Iraq, stating that the money would not be used for "torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." McCain, a former (shot down) carpet-bomber/mass murderer bomber pilot in the Vietnam war, explained on ABC’s "This Week" that his issue with all this is that "It is hurting America’s image abroad."
Bush’s response: So what. His Press Secretary Scott McClellan announced that Bush would veto any bill with such language because "It would limit the President’s ability as Commander-in-Chief to effectively carry out the war on terrorism."
Two things this tells you:
1. The current regime is headed by a president who believes his "hands would be tied" if he couldn’t openly have his operatives and thugs running around torturing people.
2. There is no "referee" here. Bush is utterly unaccountable to international law, world (or domestic) public opinion, or anything else that might restrain him. He must be driven from office and if it’s going to happen, it’s people like YOU who have to do it.