Rice Defends Post-9/11 Interrogation Rules

[sabra]

Source: CBS News/AP

Secretary Of State Says Tough Methods Of Questioning For Terror Suspects Was Necessary


(AP) Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday defended tough interrogation techniques for terrorism suspects approved by the Bush administration in the wake of 9/11, saying they were necessary to protect America from new attacks.

In her most extensive public comments about how the administration dealt with detainee interrogations in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, and the anthrax attacks that followed, Rice insisted the methods of questioning complied with both U.S. law and treaty obligations.

But she acknowledged that those rules had since changed and that the United States was a "different place" then, adding that the administration's top priority at the time had been preventing new attacks and not necessarily observing fine legal points.

"The fact is that after Sept. 11, whatever was legal in the face of not just the attacks of Sept. 11, but the anthrax attacks that happened, we were in an environment in which saving America from the next attack was paramount," Rice said.

"But even in that environment, President Bush made clear that we were going to live up to our obligations at home and to our treaty obligations abroad," she told an audience at the headquarters of Google Inc.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/23/national/main4121736.shtml

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:wow:

[hobbit709]

1. Just once I'd like to see their rules applied to them

I would pay money to anyone in this maladministration waterboarded.

[Supersedeas]

14. Muck Muck Mukasey is already defending the War Criminals -- so much for the Dept of Obstructionists

[gratuitous]

2. And who have you brought to justice?

It's been more than six years, and nobody has been brought in to face charges for either the September 11 attacks or the anthrax attacks. Seems like the fruit of your poison tree of torture isn't very plentiful, Dr. Rice.

[mac2]

3. Distracting the blame to other "rules" is just plain

pathetic Condi. You lied, tortured, bombed, and murdered under laws not under any war time ones we had in our long history. Off to the Hague for you.

Lying to the government is against the law for any citizen (that especially applies to you since you took another oath of be an employee of the people).

[atreides1]

4. Another Alberto Gonzales

Who wants to bet that Ms. Rice will be about as employable as Alberto when this administration leaves?

Whatever integrity she might have had, she tossed out the window a long ago.

[mac2]

5. They always find their way back into our government

because they are not found guilty for their crimes (ever since Reagan and Nixon). Like bad pennies they get a new job. That's why our country has its problems with corruption, robbery, and war.

We have to get rid of these bad apples and put them in prison or the Hague...try them for crimes against the people.

[SpiralHawk]

6. "fine legal points" WTF?

Does she mean following the law and basic human morality?

We know republicons give a shit for neither...

Would Jesus look for "fine points" so he could torture? I guess in the so-called republicon mind the answer to that is yes.

[annabanana]

7. "fine legal points" = the fundamental rights civilized society.

"fine legal points" = habeas corpus

"fine legal points" =

[Supersedeas]

11. complied with US law THOUGH not observing fine legal points??? WTF kind of doublespeak is that

[Javaman]

8. kind of explains her thigh high darth vader leather boots. nt

[DirtyDawg]

9. I got it...

....since Congress can't seem to get the WH vermin - past or present - to testify before their various committees...and since the Justice (sic) Department won't allow Grand Juries to issue subpoenas...then I think the Sergeant At Arms of the House and/or Senate should be allowed to arrest and interrogate WH officials - starting with her and Karl Rove. Maybe even make her parade nekkid in front of Turdblossom.

[Supersedeas]

12. fine legal point are meaningless unless you have the guts to press broad legal points

[MarinCoUSA]

10. And now, can any pundit who proffers her for elected office be secretly renditioned? Please!

I just die laughing- cause it kills me otherwise - to think that any one- ANY ONE AND EVERY ONE- associated with this illegal, fascist cabal would disgrace the American body politic ever again!

This country needs a truth commission and defenestration laws. No more Elliot Abramsons, Dick Cheneys anywhere in government any more. Like it's 1950 in Germany and we're not electing the Nazis back in office. OK?

[Supersedeas]

13. there are pundits that support torture