Gonzales Promises Non - Torture Policy

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzales plans to promise to abide by the government's non-torture policies and international treaties if he is confirmed by the Senate, The Associated Press learned Wednesday.

snip...........

In a prepared statement obtained by The Associated Press, Gonzales plans to promise the Senate Judiciary Committee to abide by all of the United States' treaty obligations if he is confirmed as the first Hispanic U.S. attorney general.

Bush already has made clear that the government will defend Americans from terrorists ``in a manner consistent with our nation's values and applicable law, including our treaty obligations,'' Gonzales says in his prepared testimony. ``I pledge that, if I am confirmed as attorney general, I will abide by those commitments.''


http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Senate-Gonzales.html

[henslee]

1. Fuck promises. Fool me twice is the M.O. of these folks.

[two gun sid]

7. Won't get fooled again!

I agree. Fuck that war criminal. He is no better than a wife-beater. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I'm not like that. Please forgive me. I won't do it again."
Instead of confirming him as AG he should be led away in chains.

[henslee]

12. The question is --- Alberto's directive never surfaced in a memo, would

he have regretted it? Doubt it. Sure he's sorry...Sorry, HE GOT CAUGHT. Let's talk about morale values. If the Prez had any, Gonzalez would not even be up for the job --- just as a symbolic gesture.

[renaissanceguy]

27. Absolutely.

As we've seen with the * misdaministration, they tend to break their promises quite frequently.... usually in the "name of terror."

http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.16127272

[genius]

19. So who is dumb enough to believe him?

[Khephra]

21. We'll know tomorrow

His hearing starts in the early AM on CSPAN tomorrow.

[pokercat999]

67. I'm sure he means exactly what he says.

HE won't torture anyone, he'll just allow others to do it.

[Just Me]

2. How many FALSE promises does it take to destroy trust?

No one associated with Bush will EVER be able to regain my trust.

Everything that comes out (every "prepared" statement) of this White House has proven to be a FALSE promise!!!

[mediaman007]

36. As if he has a choice about the treaties!

Wouldn't our country expect that the people appointed be responsible for following the rules. Gonzales acts like he has a choice!

Dump him!

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mediaman007]

40. Are you saying that I should consider Gonzales the only lawyer in the

United States capable of being the Attorney General?

My point was that the Attorney General is responsible for following the laws of this country. Gonzales' memo, if they become public, will display that he had no regard for our country's rule of law. He worked very hard to make the interrogation tactics legal. For that I don't think that he should be acceptable to our country. He should be defending himself in court.

Thus with my choice remark: I think it is more than self serving to say that he will follow the laws and treaties, as if it were optional. He doesn't have a choice (lawfully speaking).

[Name removed]

57. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DemoTex]

3. Too little ...

Too late.

[remfan]

4. Only in bush's america

would a headline like this even be possible.

[Supersedeas]

90. and the writing to follow has enough Bushspeak to choke the literate.

[UpInArms]

5. from the "we'll say anything" department

ROFLMAO!

HahahahahahahahahaHeheheheheheheHohohohohohoho!

"Read my lips" folks - this is a LIE - this is the one that followed ASSKKKKRRRRAP's "I promise not to make laws -but to follow the laws that Congress makes" lie.

hahahahahaha

Let's see if the stupids up there in the Senate fall for this crap.

[Khephra]

6. Fall for it?

I bet you that they'll bend over and thank Bush for the nomination while he's screwing them and this country over.

I don't expect more from them. I watched them during Ashcroft's hearings. It's the same people and they haven't shown that they've changed any since then.

[UpInArms]

13. you're right, Khephra - poor choice of "word"

on my part -

Let's see how prettily they tie the bow on this box of shit.

[gratuitous]

8. Gee, Ashcroft promised, too

And then spent more time chasing down hookers in New Orleans that he ever did investigating terrorists.

Gonzalez, as author of the "let's torture people, but only a little bit" Bush doctrine, has no credibility on this point. The very fact that Stupidhead nominated him is an insult to every thinking American. Unfortunately, he's up for confirmation by the Senate, a body that appears to be a think-free zone.

[Hobarticus]

58. Goss promised a 'non-partisan' CIA, too

Liars. Liars, liars, liars.

[TahitiNut]

9. Nothing new. That's exactly what he was saying in those memos.

The problem is the Alberto "The Weasel" Gonzales has a very distorted view (akin to Marquis de Sade) of what constitutes torture ... unless it were done to him, of course.

[tk2kewl]

10. Credibility is like virginity. You only get to lose it once.

Gonzalsleaze

[Judi Lynn]

16. True! You can't get there from where Gonzales is. Pity......... n/t

[Tweed]

74. Thanks for that good one

I'm going to use it again and again.

[Redstone]

11. Well, now I feel better...

The nominate for AG (the highest law-enforcement in the country) has actually come out and promised to obey the law! (But only this one. Do we have to ask him if he'll obey all the other laws as well, one by one?)

No wonder everyone else in the world laughs at us and thinks we're a country full of fucking lunatics.

Redstone

[UpInArms]

14. Welcome to DU Redstone!

Glad to have you here :hi:

[Redstone]

22. Hey, thanks for the welcome

It's good to have a place to vent.

Redstone

[lovuian]

15. To approve of this man to the Attorney General position would

be like saying he did a good job on his legal position on Torture which was horrendous and embarassing. Its like Bush is rewarding him and in congresses face

Give me that stamp of approval cause when the Republican Congress does that just like Congress approved the Iraq War its like Bush is off the hook.

[Catchawave]

17. Like I'm going to trust this admin now....

...Not ! That's the problem with the Bushies, they lie, lie, LIE !

[Swamp Rat]

18. Lizard "commitments."

[katinmn]

20. As attorney general, that's a safe bet.

His purview is America in that role, not prisoners of war.
Duh!

[PurityOfEssence]

23. It's not "torture", it's a "freedom chat"

A little nudging to jostle the memory isn't wrong. Some testicles could use a little juice. And besides, sleep's for sissies.

[UpInArms]

31. here's just a little reminder of some of our "torture"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1223358,00.html

'I will always hate you people'

Family's fury at mystery death

Luke Harding in Baghdad
Monday May 24, 2004
The Guardian

The first Mohammed Munim al-Izmerly's family knew of his death was when his battered corpse turned up at Baghdad's morgue. Attached to the zipped-up black US body bag was a laconic note.

The US military claimed in the note that Dr Izmerly, a distinguished chemistry professor arrested after US tanks encircled his villa, had died of "brainstem compression".

Dr Izmerly's sudden death after 10 months in American custody left his family stunned, not least because three weeks earlier they had visited him in the US prison at Baghdad airport. His 23-year-old daughter, Rana, recalled that he had seemed in "good health".

The family commissioned an independent Iraqi autopsy. Its conclusion was unambiguous: Dr Izmerly had died because of a "sudden hit to the back of his head", Faik Amin Baker, the director of Baghdad hospital's forensic department, certified.

The cause of death was blunt trauma. It was uncertain exactly how he died, but someone had hit him from behind, possibly with a bar or a pistol, Dr Baker confirmed yesterday.

..more...

Liberating them from life ...

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

88. and they're not prisoners, they're our distinguished guests

/ detainees-Geneva conventions need not apply.
And if these distinguished guests/detainees are at Gitmo they're not on U.S. soil so the laws of our country don't apply.

[LynnTheDem]

24. Not something one sees often; US AG promising NO TORTURE POLICY

Gee. :eyes:

[ElectroPrincess]

25. Hey, I encourage everybody concerned with Gonzales' Confirmation

Go to http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/05/152208

And listen to (or watch if have broadband) "Wednesday, January 5th, 2005: Retired US General on Alberto Gonzales: "He Has Endangered Our Soldiers."

It begins at 17:13 into the audio stream.

Brig. General James Cullen is no left-wing wild eyed SLACKER but a respected Retired General. Guess this interview will never happen on any MSM outlets, aye?

[takumi]

26. Check First

My sure he didn't have his legs, arms, or fingers crossed when he made the 'promise'. Also, having a policy and abiding by it are two completely different things!

[Robbien]

28. There was also Goss who promised to drop his partisan ways and be fair

Democrats said oh okay.

Then Goss promptly fired anyone who did not agree with Bush. Democrats silent, no complaints.

[spanone]

29. Bullshit, he's already made his opinion known.

[Joe Chi Minh]

30. Does it mean

that he is going to rescue all the surviving prisoners, whose interrogation under torture was outsourced to countries using the most vicious and uncontrolled methods?

[ignu]

32. While you're right not to trust this statement

Everyone pat yourself on the back that he even feels compelled to make it.

We might not have political power, but if the public yells loud enough, even this "president" will need to sit up and beg.

[KDLarsen]

33. Oh great...

.. so now the US is going to torture nuns too? :evilgrin:

[derby378]

34. I wonder...

...if he had his fingers crossed behind his back ala Veruca Salt when he said that.

[Seabiscuit]

35. I wouldn't believe a word uttered by that nefarious cretin. n/t

[mtnester]

38. Meet the new boss...

same as the old boss

[Massachusetts]

39. It'll only hurt a little.....

Gonzales = SS

[jbnow]

41. I am furious

that bush even had the gall to nominate this guy after the horrifying scandal he is associated with...and it is NOT that indirectly.

I don't care about any other "good" things about him, what he has already done and expressed as his legal opinion should just disqualify him from consideration.

bush gave medals to the three men that did so bad with the war and now he nominates this guy. It's not just the message to the rest of the world...but to us. They have no shame, which causes us plenty of shame.

[Career Prole]

42. Holy sh*t...whatta headline! "Gonzales Promises Non-Torture Policy"

"Well sure...but on the bright side he did promise to give up torture!"

How much farther must we sink?

[pdxmom]

49. No kidding!

I can't believe that it's actually come to the point of having to have a potential AG promise not to commit a war crime. Why are we even having to hear that? To me, if it's a question (which it obviously is), then the man has no business even being up for consideration.

[Career Prole]

51. I'd always assumed a headline like that would be written in

some other language. It would have seemed out of place here.
It's still unnerving to see it, isn't it?
Welcome to DU, pdxmom! :hi:

[Seabiscuit]

84. Is this supposed to convince Americans he should be confirmed as our

next Attorney General????

Look at how appallingly low the bar his been set by this administration and its msm lackeys.

[quaoar]

43. But did he have his fingers crossed when he said it?

Besides, he didn't promise he wouldn't send suspects to Saudi Arabia for a little softening up.

[AlCzervik]

44. Bullshit!!! Can't unring the bell, it's too late

confirming him will give aid to the enemy for he will be on a recruiting poster. Isnt that what they always say about us? This time in his case it's actually true.

[kskiska]

45. Asscrap promised he wouldn't let his personal beliefs

get in the way of his job. First thing he did was cover up that statue and hold prayer meetings. Then, instead of paying attention to terrorist activities, he went after the hookers in New Orleans.

[riverwalker]

46. Lets test every method

of interrogation he approves of, on Gonzales first.

[Disturbed]

47. Sinking lower into the mire of feces.

Any Dem who votes for this scumbag does not deserve to be in Congress.

[WindRavenX]

48. So, isn't this like admiting he DID order torture?

You know, being caught red-handed and then promising never to do it again? :eyes:
Fuck this creep. I hope the Democrats fight tooth and nail against this sick bastard.

[Califooyah Operative]

50. How about a non-Gonzales policy . nt

[Jacobin]

52. And: "Hitler Promises To Honor Jews Civil Rights"

What a bunch of cretins.

[baby_mouse]

53. Gosh, what a jolly nice chap he sounds like!

*I'd* certainly ask him round for tea.

[TankLV]

54. DON'T EVER TRUST WHAT A REPUKE SAYS!

Remember the "non-partisanship" of Porter Goss?

That lasted a long time, didn't it!

[aikido15]

61. Never EVER!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

55. "I'll be good I promise"

Like freaking hell. He's to blame for Abu Garib.

[leesa]

56. L-I-A-R

[The Judged]

59. He said, and then backed off from repeating it, "President can ignore >>>

the law of Congress, if the President believes that such law is unconstitutional!"

[aikido15]

60. He said that today???

[The Judged]

63. Yes he did! And when asked to repeat his statement he went off topic.

[Art_from_Ark]

87. bu$h has already ignored Congressional laws

starting with his first act in office-- withholding the Reagan papers from the public, despite the law that said they had to be released 12 years after the schmuck left office.

[fob]

62. "Gonzales Promises Non - Torture Policy"

Of whom? And since he has already defined torture as pretty much non-existent unless it causes death and even then it doesn't count if you didn't intend for it to cause death when you started, his "promise" ain't worth shit.

[Supersedeas]

64. Whoa Whoa Whoa--thought the brother was standing by his stance that

the Geneva Conventions were obsolete.

What-o-what-o-what are we to believe???
Rove smiles.

[Darranar]

65. Just like in Abu Ghraib? n/t

[AlbizuX]

66. in other news...

Hitler promised never to kill Jews....

[Deja Q]

68. Uh-huh. I'll promise to go join the KKK if I'm confirmed by the senate.

:eyes:

No more promises.

I don't see why we should base such a high position based on A PROMISE AND A PAST RECORD SHOWING JUST THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT HE IS PROMISING TO IF HE GETS ENOUGH CONGRESSBUDDIES TO VOTE HIM IN.

[Rican1]

69. I promise

to do all I can to make sure the truth comes out about this administration before 2008.

[senegal1]

70. Complete . I heard the testimony. He weasled every

question. "In general I agree with that..." The Panel wanted to hear what they wanted to hear in order to not challenge. Some great speakers however on why NOT to use ect. (As if reasonable people have to question this!) Panel's biggest concern seemed to be that the AG understand he would be accountable to the Intelligence Panel. What about the American People?

[TankLV]

80. "accountable to the Intelligence panel" - the REPUKE panel.

The same kind that "investigated" 911?

That kind of panel?

Oh, now I feel REAL secure!

(sarcasm off)

[Solly Mack]

71. kick

[Salluc]

72. Nice Summation

In yesterday's NY Times, Maureen Dowd nicely summed this up: "You know how bad the situation is when the president's choice for attorney general has to formally pledge not to support torture anymore.?

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

73. I cannot quite believe

that our country has come to the point where the prospective AG has to promise that he won't condone torture.

What a scary, horrible thing that it is even a QUESTION. This is absurdity to the maximum.

[gardenista]

75. kick for Khephra

[sonicx]

76. "cross my heart and hope to die"

[DemonFighterLives]

77. Come on folks

If he keeps his doofy smile while torturing, then it can't be so bad.
Plus he promised to be a good boy.
:silly:

[Misunderestimator]

78. kick

[TankLV]

79. OK - we've heard the PROMISES of asscrap and gross.

And we've SEEN the ACTIONS asa they DISREGARDED their own PROMISES.

So - what - all those memos and that long paper trail were "just kidding"?!?!?!

And now we're about to see another LIAR promise anything and say anything to get in - only to be SURPRISED again when the reptilian repuke liars revert back to form.

They can never say they weren't warned.

Only problem is, WE'LL have to suffer along with everyone else.

[Scout]

81. kick

[GoddessOfGuinness]

82. But first, he redefines torture...

[Ilsa]

83. Kick for Kheph... Uh, Mr. Gonzales, isn't it a little late for that? n/t

[sonias]

85. tk2kewl has it right Gonzal-sleaze

I'm just adding the hyphen to assist in pronunciation. Gonzal-sleaze and bu$h values are already scrapping the bottom of the barrel. These two compassionate compadres have the execution tag team routine down pact. In Texas Gonzal-sleaze was the cover man for bu$h who is too lazy to read anything more than 200 words in one sitting. So Gonzal-sleaze essentially was making the death decisions in Texas. bu$h never got essential details (like the defendant's lawyer slept through his capital trial). Not that bu$h would have given a shit anyway.

Sonia

[Amigust]

86. Gonazalez: "I'll tell them ANYTHING to get these hearings over with.

Then I can get on with pulling out some fingernails."

[Carolab]

89. Define "our nation's values" and "applicable law", Alberto. n/t

[FarLeftRage]

91. For Kheph

:cry: