Legal Experts From Both Sides Slam White House Torture Memo
Legal experts don't often agree on complicated issues with political overtones. But they do when it comes to the White House memo suggesting that the President can unilaterally decide to forego the Geneva convention and allow torture in some cases. Both sides slam the policy.
The White House took an unusual step by releasing a thick stack of documents to defend itself against charges it had authorized the abuse of war prisoners, but a number of experts said the most significant decision may have been the administration's disavowal of the memo contending the president can claim he is above the law on torture if he says he is defending the country.
The 2-year-old legal analysis said only the most egregious physical abuse constituted torture under the law and concluded that the president and the soldiers he commands were effectively exempt from any anti-torture treaties or criminal statutes. The memo's fundamental position has turned into the one issue that experts from both sides of the political spectrum have condemned. (our emphasis)
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