U.S. military defense lawyers for accused 9/11 conspirator Ramzi bin al Shibh cannot learn what interrogation techniques CIA agents used on the Yemeni before he was moved to Guantánamo to be tried as a terrorist, an Army judge has ruled. ...the judge ruled on Aug. 6 that ``evidence of specific techniques employed by various governmental agencies to interrogate the accused is . . . not essential to a fair resolution of the incompetence determination hearing in this case.''So, you fracture a man's mind by torturing him. But that torture was used is "not essential" to determining how damaged the man's mind is?
The use of torture is a deep and dark stain on our nation's right to proclaim itself as a free nation, a nation of laws. The use of torture violated the core principles upon which this nation was founded. The continuing coverup of the use of torture by the military tribunals and by the more reactionary Federal courts only serves to deepen and intensify the stain, for not only did we torture, we continue to try to hide the fact.
That we tortured people (and arguably continue to do so) has given our enemies a great moral victory. It has also enabled other nations that torture its citizens to hide behind the fact that the United States of America uses torture.
We must continually strive to shine the light of liberty into the dark corners. To do otherwise is a betrayal of our national soul.
(H/T)
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