Weekly Torture Action Letter 6: Time Is Running Out To Investigate

( – promoted by buhdydharma )

Welcome to the sixth of the Dog’s letter writing campaign series. The Dog usually posts these on Monday’s but his Step Dad was having major heart surgery and the Dog could not focus very well yesterday (he is fine BTW). The basic premise here is to, on a weekly basis; write a letter to the President, the Attorney General, the nine Justices of the Supreme Court, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid, urging them to investigate the apparent State Sponsored Torture program of the Bush Administration. In order to get their attention, every week the Dog writes from a different perspective about the issue, so that on the off chance that they read more than one of these letters it is clear that it is not the same thing over and over. This series also offers the reader the chance to write their own letter or cut and paste the Dog’s letter and send it in. The more people that we have sending weekly letters the higher chance that we will be heard on this issue, so if you could take the time to send this along it would be greatly appreciated.

Cross posted at Square State

This week’s letter:

Dear (insert name here);

I am writing today to strongly urge you to do everything within your power to make sure that an investigation of the apparent State Sponsored Torture program of the Bush Administration is investigated.

There are many reasons why this should be done; our obligations under both Federal Law and the International Conventions Against Torture (ICAT)  require it; our need to show our respect for the Rule of Law as part of repairing our image with both our allies and opponents in the world; the protection of our citizens ( like the two young women being held in North Korea, which when asked about the conditions they were  being held under replied “This is not Guantanamo”); our on going counterinsurgency wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the most recent development the indictment of 6 senior Bush Administration officials by a tribunal in Spain today.

We are at a cross-roads where we must act. The Spanish Government is acting within the dictates of the ICAT as they are investigating a credible charge of torture of one of their nationals. At this point the Prosecutors in the case are still investigating, but there can be little doubt if they find the charges to be credible they will continue the process up to and including prosecution of former US officials and a sitting Appellate Court Judge.

This can only be damaging to our relationship with Spain (a strong NATO ally) and the rest of Europe. I am assuming that within the current Administration there are those who are arguing that we can not investigate ourselves as the political cost will be huge. This is likely to be true. The conservative forces in our nation will seize on this issue as a rallying cry and will use it as a massively divisive wedge.  The problem is having the Spanish Government issue arrest warrants for a Federal Judge and five others will cause exactly that kind of crisis. The conservatives will demand that we stand strongly against the call for their extradition. Those that support the Rule of Law will be just as adamant that we extradite for trail these men.

As it has become clear there is no way to avoid the political fight on this issue, now is the time to lead on this issue. Take the only possible step that gains the United States anything in this mess and appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate all aspects of the Bush Administrations “enhanced interrogation” program. This allows the Administration be in front of the issue, not behind it, but most importantly it shows our citizens and the world the fact no one is above the law in the United States of America.

Sincerely,

(insert name here)

Now, if you would all take just a few minutes to send this letter off, you can know that you have done something concrete this week to make sure torture is investigated and punished. Here are the links and address for the Supreme Court:

US Supreme Court, Attention All Justices –

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Supreme Court Bldg.

Washington, DC 20543

The White House, Attention President Obama

Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Majority Leader Harry Reid

Department of Justice, attention AG Holder – [email protected]

There is a weekly clearing house called Torture:Justicewritten by Lady Libertine. It is posted on Thrusdays  and the Dog strongly recommends that anyone who wants to keep up on the issue of torture check it out.

That is all for this week, the floor is yours.