This
week, in testimony before the Senate Judiciary
Committee, Attorney General John Ashcroft
refused to turnover Justice Department memos
on torture.
One
of the memos states that the president is
quoted saying that he is, "not bound by either
an international treaty prohibiting torture
or by a federal anti-torture law." It also
says that as commander-in-chief Bush has authority
"to approve any technique needed to protect
the nation’s security."
Elsewhere
in the memo the authors suggest that Bush
protect his subordinates from accusations
of torture by issuing a presidential directive.
A dissenting voice came from a lawyer who
helped prepare the report. He said the authors
quote "sought to assign to the president virtually
unlimited authority on matters of torture
-- to assert presidential power at its absolute
apex.'" After questioning Ashcroft refused
to make any direct comments on the details
of the memo, and said he would not make the
document available to committee members. Democratic
Senator Joseph Biden said Ashcroft's refusal
to turn over the memos could place him in
contempt of Congress.
Biden
then addressed Ashcroft and said "There's
a reason why we sign these treaties: To protect
my son in the military. That's why we have
these treaties, so when Americans are captured,
they are not tortured. That's the reason,
in case anybody forgets it.
Written by the Staff at
INN World Report 6/11/04