Bill Wickersham is an Adjunct Professor of Peace Studies at MU, a member of Veterans for Peace and a member of the national steering committee of Global Action to Prevent War.
I used to work for the MU Peace Studies Program back when I was in college. ~ Lo
photo by Dandelion Salad
By Bill Wickersham
http://www.columbiamissourian.com
May 14, 2008
In June 2004, the Bush Administration issued a statement that detailed its rationale and legal stance for denying terror suspects the protection of international humanitarian law. The statement included hundreds of pages of White House communications intended to counter widespread criticism that George W. Bush had personally endorsed the plans used to justify the interrogation abuses of U.S. prisoners held in Iraq, Guantanamo Bay and other worldwide locations. At that time Bush said, “I have never ordered torture.” Ordered or not, it is now clear from recent reports that Bush was well aware of, and approved plans for, the questioning of known and alleged al-Qaida prisoners being held by the CIA.
On April 9, 2008, ABC News reported that Bush’s National Security Council Principals Committee had dozens of top-secret talks and meetings at the White House to review interrogation procedures to be used by the CIA on al-Qaida suspects. Condoleezza Rice chaired the committee, which included Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Collin Powell, George Tenet and John Aschroft. According to ABC, the principals discussed and approved specific details of “enhanced interrogation techniques” — “CIA-Speak” and “Pentagonese” for torture, including face slapping, pushing, sleep deprivation and the simulated drowning technique known as “waterboarding.”
h/t: After Downing Street
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Dandelion Salad 
Thanks, Paul. I didn’t have the time to list them all, so I thank you very much for doing so. 🙂
Laws broken by the Bush adminisration (up to 2006).
Deception of Congress and the American Public
Committing a Fraud Against the United States (18 U.S.C. § 371)
Making False Statements Against the United States (18 U.S.C. § 1001)
War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148)
Misuse of Government Funds (31 U.S.C. § 1301)
Improper Detention, Torture, and Other Inhumane Treatment
Anti-Torture Statute (18 U.S.C. § 2340-40A)
The War Crimes Act (18 U.S.C. § 2441)
The Geneva Conventions and Hague Convention: International Laws Governing the Treatment of Detainees
United Nations Convention Against Torture, and Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment: International Laws Governing the Treatment of Detainees
Command Responsibility (for known illegal acts of subordinates in the military)
Detainment of Material Witnesses (18 U.S.C. § 3144)
Retaliating against Witnesses and Other Individuals
Obstruction of Congress (18 U.S.C. § 1505)
Whistleblower Protection (5 U.S.C. § 2302)
The Lloyd-LaFollette Act, or “anti-gag rule” (5 U.S.C. § 7211)
Retaliating against Witnesses (18 U.S.C. § 1513)
Leaking and other Misuse of Intelligence and other Government Information
Revealing Classified Information in Contravention of Federal Regulations (Executive Order 12958/Classified Information Nondisclosure Agreement)
Statutory Prohibitions on Leaking Information (18 U.S.C. § 641, etc.)
Laws Governing Electronic Surveillance
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (50 U.S.C. § 1801, et seq.)
National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. chapter 15)
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. § 222)
Stored Communications Act of 1986 (18 U.S.C. § 2702)
Pen Registers or Trap and Trace Devices (18 U.S.C. § 3121)
Laws and Guidelines Prohibiting Conflicts of Interest (28 U.S.C. § 528, etc.)
Now, you know that I don’t hate you, TRM. Your differing opinions are always welcome here, you know that.
Thanks for keeping it (mostly) to the point, too. The first statement is not a serious comment whatsoever. All you did was say that the person shouldn’t be taken seriously because of their support for McKinney. You need to say why you don’t support her candidacy.
I disagree with your statement that Bush hasn’t broken any laws. Did you read the entire article? Gee, this admin has admitted to torturing people! That is definitely against our constitution and the Geneva Conventions. I do agree that Congress is also guilty for allowing this admin to get away with what it has (the erosion of our constitution), etc.
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How can anyone be taken seriously that states, More power to Cynthia McKinney, what a hoot!
Here’s the reason Bush is not in jail, he hasn’t broken any laws, and if they tried to spin it to make it look like he did, everyone in Congress would be guilty as well, that’s why.
Now the real question to ask is why isn’t Al Gore in jail for profiting from the greatest hoax and fraud of the 21st century…..
The commenter you love to hate…
see no bad words Dande!!!
Thanks, Shaine.
Great piece and great comments. More power to Cynthia McKinney.
You guys! haha. 😀
Well admittedly, it is rather ‘fourteenth century’. George has done alot to bring those kind of quaint medieval traditions back into fashion though, so it might be a fitting way to go! 😉
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Well, you can put them in jail, but I think it should be like a zoo, so we can parade people past cages with titles like ‘hominus psychopathicus’. Maybe the fees would defray costs, and we could feed them peanuts…
Jail time would suffice (let’s omit torture, though).
America could learn much from England in how to deal with Bush. Edward II of England was dealt with by being locked up in Berkeley castle. Then they shoved a red hot poker right up his fundament!
This would be an adequate solution in my opinion.