Anti-torture campaign picks up

Thanks to Americablog for bringing this to my attention. Now not only have the New York Times (in today's lead editorial), the Los Angeles Times (in an op-ed by Robert Scheer), and twelve high-ranking former military officers come out against the confirmation of torture advocate Alberto Gonzales as the highest-ranking law enforcement officer in the United States. A coalition of groups, including the True Majority Foundation, the National Council of Churches and MoveOn, is raising money to put an anti-Gonzales ad in the Times. Here is an image, thanks to Americablog:



The site for the campaign is at True Majority, where you can also make a donation toward buying ad space if you feel inclined.

Update: Here is General James Cullen (ret.) in the Christian Science Monitor on his reasons for opposing Mr Gonzales:

"We saw this as posing a huge danger for American service men and women taken into captivity. These briefs under Gonzales could be cited by our enemies to justify torture of our people," says retired Gen. James Cullen, former chief judge of the US Army Court of Criminal Appeals.

He explains in an interview: The Army Field Manual cautions that if readers are in doubt about whether a proposed interrogation technique should be applied, they should ask themselves: If they were taken prisoner, would they want the proposed interrogation measure applied against them? "This very common-sense approach was missed entirely by Mr. Gonzales," says General Cullen.

While Gonzales may have acted at the urging of Vice President Cheney or Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, "Mr. Gonzales had the responsibility at some point to put the brakes on this ... and he failed to do it," he adds.

Update2: Now AP is reporting that Mr Gonzales plans to promise to obey the law if he is confirmed:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzales plans to promise to abide by the government's non-torture policies and international treaties if he is confirmed by the Senate, The Associated Press learned Wednesday.

Soft bigotry of low expectations: if he promises (under condition of receiving a massive privilege) to obey the law in the future, that certainly qualifies him to be the chief law enforcement officer of the country. In this administration.