Alberto Gonzales Bush's Pick for AG

Alberto Gonzalez has been selected by Bush to replace the outgoing John Ashcroft. Gonzalez has served as the White House Chief Counsel during Bush's first term. He is said to be "loyal," and certainly proved it by advising Bush that he was not subject to national or international laws when it came to the war on terrorism, and to the use of torture - Gonzales Memo to Bush.

So we trade Ashcroft of the USA PATRIOT Act and morning prayer meetings with Department of Justice personnel for Gonzales, who legitimates the use of torture, and assures Bush that any action he might choose to take for "national security" is fine. Is he the ultimate "yes" man or a comrade in arms? Does it make any difference?

What is clear if you read the four page memo he wrote to Bush about the applicability of the Geneva Convention, it is unlikely that there will be much caution of Constitutional protections from the DoJ should he be approved. I have little doubt that he will be approved.

Oh Yeah. We still haven't finished "investigating" the abuse of prisoners, and to the best of my knowledge, such "interrogation techniques" were only put on hold by the Pentagon. I never did see a statement from the CIA (who is intimately involved) that they were going to change their "policy."

Relevant Articles to Jog Your Memory
11/12/04 Coorey, Herald Sun, White House law chief linked to abuse culture

6/22/04 Text of Bush order on prisoner treatment

11/10/04 Benedetto, IS News, Bush picks Gonzales to replace Ashcroft

6/13/04 Coman, Telegraph, Interrogation abuses were 'approved at highest levels'

5/20/04 Hoffman & Head, WSWS, Bush�s legal propagandist defends the indefensible: torture in Afghanistan and Iraq

6/09/04 DemocracyNow, The Pinochet Principle: Bush Defends Torture in the Name of National Security

Analysis of torture policy

Gonzales Memo to Bush

6/23/04 Ratner, Scoop, Bush Administration Memos on Torture Policy Reveal Official Complicity in Abuse of Iraqi Prisoners

Posted by rowan at November 11, 2004 7:24 PM | TrackBack | [eMail this article!] |