Posted on 01/06/2005 7:52:48 AM PST by Former Military Chick
WASHINGTON — Several veterans groups on Wednesday joined the chorus of opposition to President Bush’s nomination of Alberto Gonzales as attorney general, calling his legal opinions on torture a threat to U.S. forces worldwide.
On Tuesday, 12 retired admirals and generals — including former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Shalikashvili — sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee urging them to closely examine Gonzales’ position on torture before they approve him.
Veterans for Common Sense, which represents about 12,000 former military personnel, and other related groups took their criticism of Gonzales even further by asking senators to oppose his nomination.
“Not only does his position (on torture) violate the laws of the United States, but it has also endangered our U.S. servicemen,” said retired Air Force Col. Richard Klass, president of the Veterans Institute for Security and Democracy.
“Judge Gonzales has opened the way for any tin-horned dictator or corrupt head of state to do the same to our troops.”
Critics attacked the White House counsel not only for his January 2002 memo calling the Geneva Convention “obsolete” and “quaint” but also for what they call failings in his judicial review of death penalty cases while an adviser to Bush while the president was governor of Texas.
“We are not just opposed to torture because it is counterproductive; it is just plain wrong,” said Ray McGovern, a former CIA analyst. “It is the rule of law that distinguishes us from the animals, who can’t tell right from wrong. This is not just an academic exercise.”
The groups submitted their own letter to the Senate, signed by nearly 3,600 veterans, asking that the controversies surrounding the torture memos be the focus of their confirmation hearings.
Those hearings for Gonzales are scheduled to begin Thursday.
Got to love these military folks who seem to think their words mean something, that they can sway the minds of American's.
Not sure if you have been to the Veterans for Common Sense, but, they would not be the folks I would want to have served with or be a party to.
Oh this makes me mad1
Ok, I'm a veteran. I have no problem with his nomination. Should I form a group and get the media's attention?
Did the memos authorize stacking up naked prisoners and taking pictures of them? Did they authorize beating prisoners to death? No? Then what is the controversy?
But... But... We're supposed to be better than them. (/impersonation of a liberal who really doesn't care about human rights and is just interested in bashing the US)
I just went to their website. I couldn't find any info about their donors of if this group is tax-exempt.
Minions of the leftwing moonbats Like UpChuck Shumer
Good article in today's WSJ about a strategy the Bush White House should be employing. Link: http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110006122
I believe that nearly all the veterans have been exposed as Kerry supporters.
By the way did you hear that Kerry served in Vietnam?
Torture is holding a captive, using television and the Media to warn the world that that person will be beheaded at X hour! The heads are not cleanly cut - they are hacked off. Now that is torture.
Military combatants either play by the same rules i.e., Geneva or we play by NO rules.
One side can’t be Politically Correct and fight while the other is held to nothing resembling Geneva Rules.
"I believe that nearly all the veterans have been exposed as Kerry supporters."
Swift Boat Veterans For Truth beg to differ.
Right and about having a dictator of another counrty do the same to our troops??? They arent torturing them they are KILLING our guys!!!
"Audie" Kerry
Ah yes, General Shalliwashyourwilli back on the tube for his five more minutes of infamy.
As you well know!!
However, you can call the US Capitol and speak to your senator.......1-800-839-5276
The the vets who understand that the 'RATs are anti-American, however...are simply disgusted. I wish they would find some other common trait to band together under--like "Volkswagen Van Owners Against Gonzales".
Heard General Weasley Clark on with Chrissy Matthews the other night. He says he never met Gonzales but thinks he should NOT be confirmed.
Granting POW status and protections to illegal combatants weakens the Geneva Conventions. If illegal combatants can be assured of receiving POW status and treatment, no one would choose to be a legal combatant.
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