Alberto Gonzales

[Little_Miss_1565]

I'm watching the CNN coverage of Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzales' confirmation hearing, and I wanted to throw this out for discussion here.

Much of the questions being asked him, especially in the grilling he received from Sen. Leahy, center on a memo addressed to him while he served as counsel to Pres. Bush. He had asked the DOJ something about torture...whether Geneva Convetions applied to Al Qaeda operatives or not, I believe. After dancing astounding circles around his answers (even bigger circles than anyone ever accused John Kerry of dancing), the following pearls of wisdom could be extracted from his convoluted replies: that he does believe that the president can order torture, that he "doesn't remember" whether or not he agreed with the DOJ's memo at the time it was sent to him, and that he believes there will be a time where the U.S. government will be able to grant immunity to torturers.

This is a memo that not only narrowly defined torture as being only extreme pain akin to that causing death or organ failure or interfering with bodily functions, but has also been pointed to by critics as most likely being the basis of torture practices at Abu Ghraib. Oh wait, he completely condemns the torture at Abu Ghraib and at Guantanamo. But he doesn't have a problem with torture in general.

All I have to say about it right now is "¡Que pendejo! ¡Vaya a la mierda, hijo de puta!" Perhaps you have something more eloquent to say about it.

[SicN Twisted]

I saw the exact same coverage, and all I can say is this is the sad combination of the hypocracy of a latin American politician and the hypocracy of an American politician.

[leo3375]

All I know is that if this man does become Attorney General it will seal my decision to move to Toronto.

[sKratch]

I can't believe that political figure openly explore the limits the law places on torture. They're basing what they can and cannot do on law rather than on morals.

[Little_Miss_1565]

AND the Republican senators on the committee were more concerned with his promise to fight the "addictive nature of pornography" than they were with his terming of the Geneva Convention as "outdated" and "quaint"!

Has government really always been this retarded, or am I just starting to notice this now?