Bush: Torture Ban Not Valid at Gitmo
Truly shocking: White House lawyers are arguing that the new law banning cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment of detainees does not apply to people held at Guantanamo. Of course, we should have seen this coming when Bush, upon signing the law, brushed off Congress and America by reserving the right to ignore the law under his powers as commander in chief.Washington Post:
Bush administration lawyers, fighting a claim of torture by a Guantanamo Bay detainee, yesterday argued that the new law that bans cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of detainees in U.S. custody does not apply to people held at the military prison.
In federal court yesterday and in legal filings, Justice Department lawyers contended that a detainee at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, cannot use legislation drafted by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to challenge treatment that the detainee’s lawyers described as “systematic torture.”
Truthdig says: Of course, we should have seen this coming when Bush, upon signing the law, gave both Congress and America the finger.
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