FBI and Pentagon Trade Pie Shots

Let me just say that I don't believe anyone who is trading blame for the torture of detainees in U.S. custody. They are all complicit, in my opinion, for the middle-finger treatment given to our moral responsibility to follow the Geneva Conventions.

The only good thing these pot-shots provide to the discussion is the occasional mention of names of high-level neocons who will one day face accountability, if the Flying Spaghetti Monster's favor falls upon us.

FBI agents repeatedly warned military interrogators at the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, that their aggressive methods were legally risky and also likely to be ineffective, according to FBI memos made public Thursday.

A senior officer at the prison for terror suspects also "blatantly misled" his superiors at the Pentagon into thinking the FBI had endorsed the "aggressive and controversial interrogation plan" for one detainee, according to one of the 54 memos released by the American Civil Liberties Union.

[snip]

FBI officials, whose names were blacked out, indicated that senior military officials, including former Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, were aware of and in some cases had approved of putting hoods on prisoners, threatening them with violence and subjecting them to humiliating treatment.

[snip]

FBI special agent Richard Kolko, a spokesman in Washington, said FBI agents properly reported abuse allegations through the bureau's chain of command, but noted, "It is not within the scope of the FBI's jurisdiction overseas to investigate reports of alleged abuse of military detainees."

linkage

Wolfowitz, I'm not surprised. When he was nominated by George to head up the World Bank, I knew that we were sinking deeper into their black hole. As PNAC continues to flex its muscles, it becomes apparent that our recovery from this nightmare will be long and involve a lot of scar tissue.

We should not give up, though. Standing up for humane treatment of prisoners (who deserve judicial due process and the presumption of innocence under our failing system) and advocating for a fair judicial process is the best antidote to their poison. The world community is starting to speak in a louder, more unified voice regarding torture. It should help to strengthen our resolve to fight for the right thing.

Onward.