BUSH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SECRETLY RE-AUTHORIZED TORTURE

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT AND DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

These two men led the United States in two simultaneous wars, defeating both the empire of Japan and Nazi Germany at the same time. Neither one of them authorized the torture of human beings.

After Abu Ghraib was exposed and James Comey left as Deputy Attorney General, a secret legal ruling signed by Bush re-authorized torture including waterboarding of prisoners. Roosevelt and Eisenhower never thought that torture of US-held prisoners was justified. Here is what the man who denounced torture, then created a secret order authorizing it immediately after said today:

“My job is a decision-making job. And as a result, I make a lot of decisions,” the president said.

He elaborated on that point later.

“I delegate to good people. I always tell Condi Rice, `I want to remind you, Madam Secretary, who has the Ph.D. and who was the C student. And I want to remind you who the adviser is and who the president is.’

“I got a lot of Ph.D.-types and smart people around me who come into the Oval Office and say, `Mr. President, here’s what’s on my mind.’ And I listen carefully to their advice. But having gathered the device (sic), I decide, you know, I say, `This is what we’re going to do.’ And it’s `Yes, sir, Mr. President.’ And then we get after it, implement policy.”

Then he said this to the carefully politically screened, handpicked audience:

“I’ll be glad to answer some questions from you if you got any,” he said. “If not, I can keep on blowing hot air until the time runs out.”