Unitary Executive and torture

from the Spokesman Review;
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/apr/04/senate-panel-votes-to-release-harsh-review-of-cia/




The Unitary Executive theory, championed, most recently, by Vice-President Cheney, is the root of our disgrace. The belief that the president, has the power of a monarch, so that he can ignore laws passed by the legislature and treaties is a misguided threat to our democracy. Unitary Executive proponents believe that Congress has no power over the Commander in Chief. He can use the military in any place and any way he wants even if it may break treaties or the laws of America. We are all left without a voice in our own government.

When, Cheney, led the US ,down the road, to torture, we became less. It was another one of those dark sinister turns, in our nations past, that must be made right. Great shame has been brought upon our nation because of this hideous practice.

Torture is and always has been evil. This is highly unconstitutional, immoral and a completely un-American exercise in shame. It is much more in likeness to the old Soviet Union, China, or nations such as Syria. Confessions as the result of torture and ill-treatment make them completely invalid in a true court of law. Information gained is unreliable and is dangerous to the well-being of our troops by putting them in a situation, when captured, of being treated the same way. Which we believe to be immoral, cruel and illegal when it happens to one or more of our own.

Once we believe, as many conservatives have, that torture is okay; that we're still pure and clean and good for having accepted it, we open ourselves up to many evil embraced horrors of our own making. We already believe in pre-emptive war and collateral damage without a conscience thought, of the results of our actions. How long will it be before this hideous practice is embraced by the American justice system ? How far down the road must we go before family, friends and acquaintances, of a wanted felon, become subjected to enhanced interrogation methods, because, they may know something.

Torture is a cowardly act of weakness. It is evil everywhere it's practiced. This horror must never be used for information or punishment or intimidation or for any of the other screwy reasons governments, 'freedom fighters' or law enforcement deploy it.

You people who have welcomed this filthy practice of torture have disgraced our flag, our ancestors' sacrifices and the dust of their bones. This is a war crime and all those involved should be prosecuted all the way up to the head torturer in chief.

We must arrest and try all involved especially those on the top of the heap who thought they could find 'legal' ways to break the law.

This must be a relentless campaign issue.