George W. Bush Admits He's A War Criminal In New Book
I guess if you really don't care about perceptions, it makes it that much easier to be open about your war criminal past. While everyone focuses on Kanye West and replacing Cheney sections of Bush's new memoir, the media studiously ignores the unapologetic admission by him that he ordered the waterboarding of detainees. But Andy Worthington, who has been documenting the atrocities of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, didn't ignore it:
On Guantánamo, the only comments in the book that have so far emerged are insultingly flippant, which is disgraceful from the man who shredded the Geneva Conventions and authorized an unprecedented program of arbitrary detention, coercive interrogation and torture. In addition, Bush’s baleful legacy lives on in the cases of the 174 men still held, in the recent show trial of Omar Khadr, and in the complacency regarding the basis for detaining prisoners of the “War on Terror” — the Authorization for Use of Military Force, passed by Congress the week after the 9/11 attacks — on which Barack Obama continues to rely, despite its formidable shortcomings.
As Michiko Kakutani explained in a review of the book for the New York Times:
He tries to play down the problems of Guantánamo Bay, writing that detainees were given “a personal copy of the Koran” and access to a library among whose popular offerings was “an Arabic translation of Harry Potter.”
On torture, however, Bush remains as casual about authorizing waterboarding (a form of controlled drowning used on at least three “high-value detainees” held in secret CIA prisons), as he did in June this year, when he told the Economic Club of Grand Rapids, Michigan, “Yeah, we waterboarded Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. I’d do it again to save lives.”
In his book, he writes that his response, when asked if he would approve the waterboarding of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, was, “Damn right!” He added, “Had I not authorized waterboarding on senior al-Qaeda leaders, I would have had to accept a greater risk that the country would be attacked.”
Worthington's own voluminous archives say differently.
Bizarrely, Bush also attempts to explain how Abu Zubaydah began cooperating, in a troubling passage in which he seems to be trying to make out that waterboarding was some sort of specific test for Muslims. He writes, “His understanding of Islam was that he had to resist interrogation only up to a certain point. Waterboarding was the technique that allowed him to reach that threshold, fulfill his religious duty, and then cooperate.” He adds that Abu Zubaydah then explained, “You must do this for all the brothers.”
Writing of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was waterboarded 183 times, according to the OLC memos, Bush describes him as “difficult to break,” as Reuters put it, “but when he did, he gave us a lot.” As Reuters explained, “He disclosed plans to attack American targets with anthrax and ‘directed us to three people involved in the al-Qaeda biological weapons program,’ among other breakthroughs.”
Again, this is a claim that is not backed up with any evidence. As David Rose explained in an article for Vanity Fair in December 2008, “according to a former senior CIA official, who read all the interrogation reports on KSM, ‘90 percent of it was total f*cking bullsh*t.’ A former Pentagon analyst adds: ‘KSM produced no actionable intelligence. He was trying to tell us how stupid we were.’”
And Bush is counting on his readers to continue to be that stupid.
I'm not that stupid and why does he want to remind me right now how horrible he was and is.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
He was going to tell you sooner, but the mid-terms were at stake. Dubya's contribution was pushing back the release date of his book so that Repugs wouldn't be hurt at the polls. Full of compassion and the warmth of the human spirit, that guy.
I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America, and to the republic which it established, one nation from many peoples, promising liberty and justice for all
"Let us never tolerate outrageous conspiracy theories" -- President George W. Bush on November 10th, 2001
"We must speak the truth about terror." -- George W. Bush
"See in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." -- George W. Bush
“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.” – George W. Bush - August 5, 2004
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
George W. Bush 'knew Guantánamo prisoners were innocent'
Tortured them anyway. That's straight out of the worst periods of our human history. And yet that common belief that it could never happen again proves to be completely false. They are getting away with it like champs.
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
I feel about this human being? I can't. I can only wonder at what point will the Justice Department do it's job.
That is the pity of it all.
"A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life."....Muhammad Ali
The DOJ is not doing it's job because they are not up to it. They don't know how to deal with a real criminal republican of the stature of the President and former White house staff. They are literally impotent except when dealing with every day people and democrats that support those every day people.
Investigating and prosecuting a former President and staff, when the presiding President is not pushing for it is a gutsy and potentially dangerous thing to do. The DOJ is just not up to that challenge.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
They are totally doing they're job. He's still free isn't he.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
I think it's more like they are simply chicken.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
Sad thing is he gets a free pass from the corporate controlled media, Justice Department, and Congressmen and Senators. There is no effective opposition formed to combat people like him who take our country into tyranny and commit war crimes while in office.
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
didn't Kucinich read a few hundred Articles of Impeachment against Bush. Of course it didn't go anywhere, but it was the first step.
Yeah. Cynthia McKinney fought the mothertorturer too. But she didn't receive much support from the liberal press or her progressive colleagues.
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
That stupid? Bush will become the new Reagan for these assholes.
me-oww!
I wonder. They seem to be trying to forget that he even existed.
to blame Obama. These bastards were behind him all the way, going to war. War is glorious! It makes every dead soldier on our side a hero! And Bush gave them a stage to make new heroes.
me-oww!
When will Obama admit that he's a war criminal?
Seems to me Obama doesn't want to touch that subject with a ten foot pole. Think about it. If he admits to Bush being a war criminal will Bush be prosecuted? Probably not. And what's to stop the next president from hauling Obama before a court?
"Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box" - Italian Proverb
Bush and friends also tried to pin the Anthrax letters that were sent to key Democratic leaders Leahy and Daschle on the evil muslim timelords in a cave.
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
John McCain going on Letterman and trying to pin the anthrax attacks on Iraq.
If a drone kills a child in Kandahar, do the crying parents make a sound?
The setting looks like an interrogation room. I hope that eventually pans out to becoming a reality.
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
I don't hold any hope that this "human being" will ever be held accountable for the atrocities that are coming to light as well as his confession to war crimes. If I were he I'd never leave US soil. I'd be too afraid of long memories outside this country.
"Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box" - Italian Proverb
should not still be talking about the prisoners he had tortured.....he is the one who should be in prison.!! And, he should be in a cell right next to Cheney, Rumsfeld and all of the other criminals responsible for the degradation of this country, the illegal invasions and occupations of sovereign nations, and the murder of millions.
I'll not read his book or watch any interview or any video of this despicable man. I had enough of his arrogance and wanton lying for the 5 years he was living at the White House/and the 3 years he spent at the fake ranch in Texas.
"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of Stupidity" - Frank Leahy
because no one seems to care on the world stage, and sure as shit nothing is going to happen here in the good ole boy USA.
I'd love for the world to prove me wrong, but I've lost all hope for America.
in a wonderful position? Their people wrote the opinions that justified the use of torture in torturous detail. The cure, as proposed, would be to politicize the Justice department the other way, overule the rulings and start filling jail cells. `That might have a certain visceral appeal but personally I think it would have disastrous consequences in the long term. Simple exposure is the best remedy.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
It would have disastrous consequences in the long term so it will be swept under the carpet of history.
We all know what America is capable of, and will do, now; not above promulgation of Terror.
"If the US government enforced its banking laws like it did its park regulations, we wouldn't be
in this damn park in the first place." OCCUPY.!!
but some of his concentration camp guards are still alive. Go get 'em. In more practical terms forcing the prosecution of Bush for war crimes could save a lot of money. No presidential libraries need be built just presidential prisons. Now I happen to agree that waterboarding is a war crime. Many citizens of the US do not. That would include pretty much the entire Republican party . It isn't me you have to worry about it's them. Now an oscillating Justice Dept. that is politically tasked to put the leader of whatever party is out of power in jail doesn't seem like a particularly useful thing to me and that isn't how it would start but that's how it would end. Eternal investigation. Now people want, nay demand, that Obama force the politicization of that department which he is constitutionally forbidden to do. Else he is evil. I would have thought people would have had enough of that shit.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
the US president requests the US Dept. of Justice does its job, that is now defined as "politicization?" That is some creative spin, I guess...
CTHULHU 2012 "Why vote for a lesser evil?"
that Justice did look at Bybee and others and while they condemned the actions concluded that there was insufficient cause for prosecution. Now should Obama interfere and overrule the justice department decision?
Hasa Diga Eebowai
I guess that you're OK with certain levels of "politicization" then... because that decision was as "political" as it gets.
CTHULHU 2012 "Why vote for a lesser evil?"
patience.
a particular law to be prosecuted. Bybee wrote memos. Now what specific law did he break? His memos providing cover for various forms of torture sure make interesting reading but apparently writing them isn't illegal.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
We're still paying (by way of conservative backlash) for the bipartisan exorcism-without-impeachment of Richard Nixon.
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
dubya, dick and don should all be in prison.
Justice in America is a joke.
They should have been put in front of the world court for crimes against humanity and war crimes and made to pay the price . But this is a criminal / outlaw country now , a renegade and too powerful for the rest to do anything about it .
...of any interview with that lying, treasonous sack of shit ! Why should we give him an opportunity to legitimize anything he did.?
Makes me want to puke!
"A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life."....Muhammad Ali
Obama will just buy him a beer and the House is in the GOP hands again after Pelosi declared no investigations. Democrats, a republicans best friend.
...his despicable human rights policies. Bush can't be held accountable for what he did unless Obama is held accountable for maintaining the same policies, which means, naturally, there will be NO ACCOUNTABILITY for American presidents, who continue to live in a lawless world.
Just one or two steps from the dictatorship that is to come. Perhaps just the right sociopath needs to get "elected" to complete the move.
"If the US government enforced its banking laws like it did its park regulations, we wouldn't be
in this damn park in the first place." OCCUPY.!!
The price of hypocrisy in the justice system.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
)
Do you suppose that in 10 or 15 or 20 years, there will be a new (Iraqi) version of Nazi hunters--you remember those zealous individuals who refused to let the Nazi war criminals escape? Sure, they didn't suffer as their victims did, and many lived as free men--off the wealth accumulated from their criminal activities--until they were no longer free men.
Sadly, it will behoove our leaders to keep a firm boot on the Iraqi nation JUST SO these sorts of individuals will not appear to demand justice from the World Court since it obvious we (America) will not clean our own house.
Maybe we could use that bumper sticker the next time a Bush tries to run for office.
"I don't really care about perceptions at this point in time right now, I'm a content man."
Yeah, I bet he is a content man. Collecting that nice cushy presidential pension on our dime plus all the perks that come with being a former President. He stinks of all the blood he has on his hands and on his heart. That's O.K., he will get his. I am a big believer in karma. He will one day get everything he deserves. If not in this life...the here-after. If there is a devil and a Hell, I like to imagine there is a nice spot just waiting for arrival.
And to think...there are those who want his brother to run for President.
Government + the Federal Reserve = organized crime
"I don't really care about perceptions at this point in time right now, I'm a
content mansociopath."Fixed it for him.
me-oww!
and dubya's due for a heaping helping of bad.
... denial helps, I guess.
BTW, Papa Bush is still hitting the links at a tender age, is there some statue of limitations regarding karma?
CTHULHU 2012 "Why vote for a lesser evil?"
That's saying I got cancer because I deserved it for being a worse evil doer than say Hitler or Stalin, because they didn't get cancer. Karma says people deserve bad things that happen to them. Bad things happen to babies kids and good people because that's what happens.
People do bad shit and get away with it. They get to be wealthy and comfortable til the end of their days while others suffer untold horrors. It's just what happens.
me-oww!
Of that, there's no doubt.
I agree, bad things happen to good people. It's not fair, but such is life.
:D
me-oww!
;)
It never ceases to amaze me.
I don't believe in karma
miss_kitty — 11/7/10 3:23pm
Karma says bad things happen to bad people, but not necessarily within the same lifetime.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
to the Bushes, a presidential pension is merely "chump change"
these assholes end up dead and gone sooner than later and most likley no one will give 2 shits about them except they were the worst this country had to offer.
And I am sure they will be remembering this POS for a while...
Americans however, the dear lord "blessed" us with nonexistent historical memories...
CTHULHU 2012 "Why vote for a lesser evil?"
Oh for Christ's sake, the sonofabitch admitted that when he was still president. This is new to you?
The bastard belongs in the Hague.
..will love reading his book. Right up their alley.
are the same for here:
the last administration was the most 'IN-YOUR- (I'll do WHAT I want, IF I want, WHEN I want) FACE administration ever. EVER.
Maybe we can keep him bragging a bit longer....like, let him run his mouth and perhaps we'll find out just exactly how much 9/11 was allowed to happen. After all, he can't possibly keep a lid on that forever..that was the biggest shit they pulled......
F*** Bush, F*** his a**hole parents, F*** whoever voted for him, and F*** Obama for not bringing his ass into a courtroom.
NOBODY 2012
Fucking racist.
"If the US government enforced its banking laws like it did its park regulations, we wouldn't be
in this damn park in the first place." OCCUPY.!!
Bush and the rest of his co-criminals have nothing to worry about. Obama has refused to do anything about it, which makes - in my opinion - him an accessory after the fact. The smirking psychopaths Bush, Cheney and all the other monsters have nothing to worry about. One of the things that I had most hoped about obama becoming president was that he would at least attempt to do something about the serial crimes that have made me ashamed of my citizenship.
What has he done? Nothing. Nothing at all. And by doing or attempting nothing at all, he has helped establish precedents that give such crimes a veneer of legality under our own legal system. Thanks for nothing, Barry.
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