Nov 11, 2010
In
his memoir (which some wise people have already moved in bookstores to
the CRIME section) George W. Bush admitted that he authorized that
detainees be waterboarded, tortured, a crime under US and international
law.
Bush's
crime confession coincides with reports that no one will face criminal
charges from the US Department of Justice for the destruction of 92 CIA
videotapes which contained interrogations using waterboarding.
Where is the accountability for these crimes?
Bush and other criminals will be brought to justice if the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) have their way.
CCR
and ECCHR jointly intervened into a criminal investigation in Spain
examining the role of former civilian and military officials from
the Bush administration in the commission of international law
violations, including torture. The investigation is ongoing and
includes the crimes that Bush admitted he authorized.
CCR
and ECCHR made it clear that they are committed to pursuing criminal
accountability and Bush's confessions help. In a joint statement they
said:
"As Attorney
General Eric Holder stated during his confirmation hearings,
waterboarding is torture. Calling these acts what they are, torture, is
not the result of differing legal 'opinion,' as Bush states; it is a
matter of law. Harold Koh, the State Department Legal Adviser,
confirmed this in Geneva last week, stating during the U.S. Universal
Periodic Review that "the Obama administration defines waterboarding as
torture as a matter of law" and it is not a 'policy choice.'
"There are no circumstances or excuses--including 'national security'--under
domestic and international law that allow for the use of torture. And
there is an obligation to investigate and prosecute torture.
"Bush's
decision to authorize torture and other illegal acts against detainees
held in U.S. custody led to the use of torture at Guantanamo,
in Iraq, Afghanistan, and in secret prisons by U.S. forces, and
contractors, certain allies and the national forces in Iraq and
Afghanistan. His decision led to Abu Ghraib.
"Debates
as to whether or not waterboarding of detainees led to intelligence or
make the nation 'safer' are not relevant questions. The only valid
question is: can we torture? The answer is no.
"Without
accountability it is impossible to ensure that such actions are never
authorized by any future president or other U.S. official. No immunity
protects Bush from prosecution for acts which violate federal and
international law. The Pinochet precedent demonstrates that the law
eventually catches up with former presidents--even those who flout their impunity.
"Bush states that accountability 'would set a terrible precedent for our democracy.'
"We answer that not doing so is failing our democracy--yet
again. We therefore urge the Obama administration and the Department of
Justice to act upon their recognition that waterboarding is torture as a
matter of law, to investigate and prosecute acts of torture and other
serious violations carried out by officials of the former
administration, including George W. Bush.
"But we will not wait any longer for the Obama administration to act--we
will continue seeking justice and accountability under the principle
of universal jurisdiction and as counsel in the ongoing investigation in
Spain."
Sell those books, George W, you may need the money for legal fees yet!
For more information on CCR's work towards accountability, visit https://www.ccrjustice.org/ourcases/current-cases/spanish-investigation-us-torture.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Bill Quigley
Bill Quigley is Associate Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and a law professor at Loyola University New Orleans. He is a Katrina survivor and has been active in human rights in Haiti for years. He volunteers with the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH) and the Bureau de Avocats Internationaux (BAI) in Port au Prince.
In
his memoir (which some wise people have already moved in bookstores to
the CRIME section) George W. Bush admitted that he authorized that
detainees be waterboarded, tortured, a crime under US and international
law.
Bush's
crime confession coincides with reports that no one will face criminal
charges from the US Department of Justice for the destruction of 92 CIA
videotapes which contained interrogations using waterboarding.
Where is the accountability for these crimes?
Bush and other criminals will be brought to justice if the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) have their way.
CCR
and ECCHR jointly intervened into a criminal investigation in Spain
examining the role of former civilian and military officials from
the Bush administration in the commission of international law
violations, including torture. The investigation is ongoing and
includes the crimes that Bush admitted he authorized.
CCR
and ECCHR made it clear that they are committed to pursuing criminal
accountability and Bush's confessions help. In a joint statement they
said:
"As Attorney
General Eric Holder stated during his confirmation hearings,
waterboarding is torture. Calling these acts what they are, torture, is
not the result of differing legal 'opinion,' as Bush states; it is a
matter of law. Harold Koh, the State Department Legal Adviser,
confirmed this in Geneva last week, stating during the U.S. Universal
Periodic Review that "the Obama administration defines waterboarding as
torture as a matter of law" and it is not a 'policy choice.'
"There are no circumstances or excuses--including 'national security'--under
domestic and international law that allow for the use of torture. And
there is an obligation to investigate and prosecute torture.
"Bush's
decision to authorize torture and other illegal acts against detainees
held in U.S. custody led to the use of torture at Guantanamo,
in Iraq, Afghanistan, and in secret prisons by U.S. forces, and
contractors, certain allies and the national forces in Iraq and
Afghanistan. His decision led to Abu Ghraib.
"Debates
as to whether or not waterboarding of detainees led to intelligence or
make the nation 'safer' are not relevant questions. The only valid
question is: can we torture? The answer is no.
"Without
accountability it is impossible to ensure that such actions are never
authorized by any future president or other U.S. official. No immunity
protects Bush from prosecution for acts which violate federal and
international law. The Pinochet precedent demonstrates that the law
eventually catches up with former presidents--even those who flout their impunity.
"Bush states that accountability 'would set a terrible precedent for our democracy.'
"We answer that not doing so is failing our democracy--yet
again. We therefore urge the Obama administration and the Department of
Justice to act upon their recognition that waterboarding is torture as a
matter of law, to investigate and prosecute acts of torture and other
serious violations carried out by officials of the former
administration, including George W. Bush.
"But we will not wait any longer for the Obama administration to act--we
will continue seeking justice and accountability under the principle
of universal jurisdiction and as counsel in the ongoing investigation in
Spain."
Sell those books, George W, you may need the money for legal fees yet!
For more information on CCR's work towards accountability, visit https://www.ccrjustice.org/ourcases/current-cases/spanish-investigation-us-torture.
Bill Quigley
Bill Quigley is Associate Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and a law professor at Loyola University New Orleans. He is a Katrina survivor and has been active in human rights in Haiti for years. He volunteers with the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH) and the Bureau de Avocats Internationaux (BAI) in Port au Prince.
In
his memoir (which some wise people have already moved in bookstores to
the CRIME section) George W. Bush admitted that he authorized that
detainees be waterboarded, tortured, a crime under US and international
law.
Bush's
crime confession coincides with reports that no one will face criminal
charges from the US Department of Justice for the destruction of 92 CIA
videotapes which contained interrogations using waterboarding.
Where is the accountability for these crimes?
Bush and other criminals will be brought to justice if the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) have their way.
CCR
and ECCHR jointly intervened into a criminal investigation in Spain
examining the role of former civilian and military officials from
the Bush administration in the commission of international law
violations, including torture. The investigation is ongoing and
includes the crimes that Bush admitted he authorized.
CCR
and ECCHR made it clear that they are committed to pursuing criminal
accountability and Bush's confessions help. In a joint statement they
said:
"As Attorney
General Eric Holder stated during his confirmation hearings,
waterboarding is torture. Calling these acts what they are, torture, is
not the result of differing legal 'opinion,' as Bush states; it is a
matter of law. Harold Koh, the State Department Legal Adviser,
confirmed this in Geneva last week, stating during the U.S. Universal
Periodic Review that "the Obama administration defines waterboarding as
torture as a matter of law" and it is not a 'policy choice.'
"There are no circumstances or excuses--including 'national security'--under
domestic and international law that allow for the use of torture. And
there is an obligation to investigate and prosecute torture.
"Bush's
decision to authorize torture and other illegal acts against detainees
held in U.S. custody led to the use of torture at Guantanamo,
in Iraq, Afghanistan, and in secret prisons by U.S. forces, and
contractors, certain allies and the national forces in Iraq and
Afghanistan. His decision led to Abu Ghraib.
"Debates
as to whether or not waterboarding of detainees led to intelligence or
make the nation 'safer' are not relevant questions. The only valid
question is: can we torture? The answer is no.
"Without
accountability it is impossible to ensure that such actions are never
authorized by any future president or other U.S. official. No immunity
protects Bush from prosecution for acts which violate federal and
international law. The Pinochet precedent demonstrates that the law
eventually catches up with former presidents--even those who flout their impunity.
"Bush states that accountability 'would set a terrible precedent for our democracy.'
"We answer that not doing so is failing our democracy--yet
again. We therefore urge the Obama administration and the Department of
Justice to act upon their recognition that waterboarding is torture as a
matter of law, to investigate and prosecute acts of torture and other
serious violations carried out by officials of the former
administration, including George W. Bush.
"But we will not wait any longer for the Obama administration to act--we
will continue seeking justice and accountability under the principle
of universal jurisdiction and as counsel in the ongoing investigation in
Spain."
Sell those books, George W, you may need the money for legal fees yet!
For more information on CCR's work towards accountability, visit https://www.ccrjustice.org/ourcases/current-cases/spanish-investigation-us-torture.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.