There Are No Rules In War?

rexlunae

New member
It was non-partisan in that he was addressing all representitives to uphold the law...period.

...as long as they don't happen to have been Republican Presidents and Vice Presidents. Then they get a pass.

Hurling rocks at his own while upholding the standard for all elected officials should not be a partisan thing it should be a constitutional thing. I guess that escaped you.

Gowdy's a partisan hack, and little more. That's why he was chosen to chair the Benghazi committee, and it's why he's attacking the President's executive action. The fact that you can see it as non-partisan is stunning.

That is not what Obama has done at all, he has nullified existing law which is not in his power to do constitutionally.

He can't nullify a law. It's not just not in his Constitutional powers, it isn't possible for him to do. He is chosing how he enforces the law, by focusing deportation efforts on criminals rather than families, and calling on Congress to act to give us a less effemoral reform.

Even when Reagan made executive action on immigration (which seems to be a favorite liberal cry) it was only to clarify the law's boundary of enforcement.

And what would you have Obama do? Deport the millions of people who theoretically could be? People who have nowhere to go back to? People whose only family is here and who have lived nearly their whole lives as Americans? That's an insane policy, for my money.

Making new law and refusing to enforce existing law because you don't like it is not within the presidents power, nor should it be.

Every President issues executive orders, and each is novel in some way. And they must comport with the law and the reasonable construction of the President's authority. Obama has not been especially active issuing these orders.

Apparently you think the President has the authority of "pass down" legal authority to violate the Geneva Conventions. But that wasn't Obama doing that.

Gowdy made that point also, "what laws will the next president choose to nullify?"

Perhaps Congress should pass immigration reform with mandatory enforcement mechanisms in it.

If it is a republican that nullifies existing discrimination laws will you be for it? will you also say that he is within his power to do so? How far are you willing to go with this?

A lot of anti-discrimination laws have no nexus for executive action, because a lot of them provide for civil actions. As you know, the President cannot alter the law, so he can't really do anything about these cases. Those that do, hate crime laws perhaps, are routinely the subject of prosecutorial discretion, and they will likely continue to be.

They are already there ("legal outer space") & you along with most liberals cheer his lawlessness.

No, I want Obama to allow prosecution of torture cases, however high they reach.

That is not the case, the actions taken were in the limits of the law,

I would disagree, but only a court of law can really settle that.

the liberals that were briefed into what was happening at the time agreed & authorized it, and only the fringe 31% agree with you that it was unlawful or wrong.

Prove it. What are you basing that on? Liberals aren't any more able to authorize torture than conservatives are, but I'm really curious what you actually are referring to, or if you even know.

Because what the administration did was lawful and was briefed to all branches of the government at that time.

I want names here. Who was briefed?

It is a bit late for the libs that sanctioned it to now cry foul, yet you seem unwilling to subscribe any culpability to them...funny how that works.

There's no statute of limitations on the Geneva Conventions, nor I suspect on federal prohibitions on torture.

Well like the Nixon tapes the left has done a fine job of stonewalling & destroying the evidence but, what makes this case far more sinister is watergate was a scandal between political parties while the IRS scandal was a crime against the citizenry of the United States.

That's specious and you know it. Let me know when you have some actual evidence, and not just speculation.

Would you like to see a different administration attack you, your business, your character using arguably the strongest arm of the federal government? I think not but, hey it was only right wing citizens that were targeted so I assume you are good with that. :juggle:

I'm not saying what the IRS did was right. But the evidence just isn't there to implicate anyone outside the IRS.

Inflicting bodily harm, severe pain is the standard, does sleep depravation, humiliation, or waterboarding (fear for ones life) rise to that? I think not.

Which would you like done to you, to prove your point?

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/08/hitchens200808
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/02/AR2007110201170.html

I should have been more clear, I meant the Atty General. & Judiciary Committees were briefed. I was not referring to the Supreme Court.

Alright, that's what I thought. So really, there was the executive branch, and then a couple of committees, which I believe were controlled by the GOP at the time.

1) Why not? I mean if you can uphold what laws you want, and nullify the ones you don't, than it is open season, no? See how that works? But your Okay with it as long as it is "your man" doing it.

Because the courts are responsible for interpreting the law. Everyone having their own private definitions of laws would be to make nonsense of the concept of law in the first place.

And as I said before, the executive branch cannot nullify a law. They can make choices about how to enforce it, but a different executive might make a different choice. It is unusual for prosecutorial discretion to be exercised directly from the office of the President, but it is perfectly lawful, and our system of laws guarantees that a different person will soon be in a position to make that call.

2) If it was bought into by the administration as well as all the lawmakers involved (left & right) to authorize it than the standard was met to be implemented.

I'm not exactly sure what that could possibly mean. What "standard"? There is no process under the Geneva Conventions under which can authorize torture. It doesn't matter if Diane Feinstein signed an authorization in blood, that wouldn't make it legal. And exactly what were Congresspeople supposed to do about it?

3) Be specific, where was anyone punished for the acts of sleep deprivation, humiliation, or waterboarding? these actions have only been deemed as torture by a minority at this point and it is still up for debate, the left only has spotlighted it for political gain pure & simple.

After World War II, multiple cases.
www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/40/1738626.html

It is more unlikely that it will get that far.

You're probably right about that, sadly.

Waterboarding, sleep deprivation, humiliation, and the rest of the methods used here don't rise the level in any way of the real pain & suffering inflicted by the the Japanese, the Germans against innocents, or even by ISIS right now and Americans can see the trivial nature of liberal cry's of torture in this case.

That's simply not true. We prosecuted people for the same, and for milder things. And it's no great compliment to say that we're better than ISIS or the Nazis.
 

This Charming Manc

Well-known member
The question is does he think a nation virtuous for showing restraint within its response.

The law limited response to violence with proportionality, the new testament asks for restraint.

Nation states are different as they have responsibilities to its citizens, and a more complex range of issues to look at, however to my mind the question is what is the minimal amount of violence we can use to fulfill our responsibilities.

I know I haven't answered you question, but in the NT to ask 'can i/we get away' with it is the wrong question. The questions should be

  • is wise
  • is it just
  • is it merciful
  • does it bring life or death
  • does it reflect the values of the God of the cross

however if you have ditched the sermon on the mount and the other moral teaching of Jesus as not relevant to you, you loose that moral compass.

No, he hasn't. My point is, do you think He now considers a nation unjust for retaliating against another that has attacked it?
 

jgarden

BANNED
Banned
Was it evil for God to command Israel to wipe out pagan nations of men, women and children? Are you going to be an absolutist on this, or selective?

Matthew 4:43-48
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect"

Mark 11:25
25 "And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

Luke 6:27
27 "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you."

Acts 7:55-60
55 "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
56 "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,58
dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep (died)."

Ephesians 4:32
32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

http://www.christianpost.com/buzzvi...-in-spite-of-everything-125406/#ixzz3MxmIICDY

"To wipe out pagan nations of men, women and children" dies not reflect the message being delivered by Jesus in the New Testament.

Christ has said that how we would judge our "neighbors," including those who hate us, is a reflection as to how we can expect to be judged by God!"
 
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resodko

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Banned
Of course Hemingway does not see waterboarding as torture! Why is that a surprise?

The right wing author Christopher Hitchens did not believe it was torture either, but he volunteered to undergo waterboarding and concluded it was full-bore torture.

http://waterboarding.org/node/38

I just thought of a good dodge for you--a way to make sure your opinion is still the right one. Simply say:

Well, it may have been called waterboarding but it really wasn't. So it was not torture.

Dick Cheney reached the same conclusion: the report (which Cheney admitted he hadn't read) was a "bunch of crap."



i gave you information on seven leaders of the japanese who were executed for war crimes


can you post (not link to - do a copy and paste) information on other japanese soldiers who were executed for waterboarding?
 

resodko

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Banned
The mass slaughter of civilians does not achieve much except a pile of dead civilians, unless that is your goal.

depends on what kind of a war it is

if the civilian population is essential in supporting the war effort of your enemy, they are a fair target



if we find areas of syria that are hiding, feeding, arming, providing logistical support to isis, why shouldn't they be considered justifiable targets?
 

jgarden

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Banned
depends on what kind of a war it is

if the civilian population is essential in supporting the war effort of your enemy, they are a fair target

if we find areas of syria that are hiding, feeding, arming, providing logistical support to isis, why shouldn't they be considered justifiable targets?
Matthew 4:43-48
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect"

- Love your neighbor

- love your enemies

- pray for those who persecute you

- If you love those who love you, what reward will you get

- if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

"Resodko's" comments contradict what Christ has commanded his followers to do.

When we love only those "neighbors" who love us - how does that distinguish us from the "pagans?"
 

meshak

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Banned
Matthew 4:43-48
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect"

- Love your neighbor

- love your enemies

- pray for those who persecute you

- If you love those who love you, what reward will you get

- if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

"Resodko's" comments contradict what Christ has commanded his followers to do.

When we love only those "neighbors" who love us - how does that distinguish us from the "pagans?"

Mainstreamers don't know what Jesus teaches and commands, and claim to be saved and true Christians.
 

jgarden

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Banned
Would you be okay with another nation's military applying the same logic towards the US?
To justify torture and murder based on what another nation may or may not do is expedient in the short term, but it also violates everything the Bible teaches.

If Christians can't adhere to a higher standard of morals and ethics during difficult times, then what distinguishes their faith from all the others?
 

resodko

BANNED
Banned
Matthew 4:43-48
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect"

- Love your neighbor

- love your enemies

- pray for those who persecute you

- If you love those who love you, what reward will you get

- if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

"Resodko's" comments contradict what Christ has commanded his followers to do.

When we love only those "neighbors" who love us - how does that distinguish us from the "pagans?"

in what way should we have shown our "love" for the germans while they attempted to subjugate all of europe to their will and wipe out the jews?
 

Granite

New member
Hall of Fame
Well without those pesky "rules" such things as atrocities and genocide would simply be par for the course. Do away with war crimes and see how bad it gets.

It's a point worth repeating that we executed Japanese and German personnel for doing less than what we've admitted to doing on record. This is a real Pogo moment.

To see so many of my countrymen whole-heartedly support torture sickens, embarrasses, and even frightens me. This CIA torture program has set the stage for these practices to be standard operating procedure on American citizens. I can't think of a single country out there that normalized torture against perceived "enemies" and then didn't wind up using those same practices against their own people. It's inevitable.
 

resodko

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Banned
The Corner

Sorry, Paul Begala -- You’re Still Wrong


By Mark Hemingway

April 25, 2009 11:26 AM


Over at Huffington Post, Paul Begala has responded to my post from a few days ago questioning his claim the the U.S. executed Japanese war criminals for waterboarding — “Yes, National Review, We Did Execute Japanese for Waterboarding.“

Given that a number of the responses I’ve received have been less than fair, Begala’s response is a model of civilized debate and I appreciate that he mounted a factual response.

Alas, he’s still wrong.

But first, a necessary clarification. I had assumed that Begala had sourced his claim that the U.S. executed Japanese war criminals to Ted Kennedy, since that was the only popular mention I could find of someone citing a Japanese war criminal by name being punished for the specific crime of waterboarding. Begala says that his claim stems from this statement from John McCain:


Following World War II war crime trials were convened. The Japanese were tried and convicted and hung for war crimes committed against American POWs. Among those charges for which they were convicted was waterboarding.

What McCain is saying is accurate. However, McCain’s third sentence here doesn’t necessarily follow the second. Japanese war criminals were convicted for crimes against U.S. POWs — including waterboarding. But, unlike Begala, McCain doesn’t go so far as to say they were executed for waterboarding. Here’s what Begala actually said:


Our country executed Japanese soldiers who waterboarded American POWs. We executed them for the same for the same crime we are now committing ourselves.

At the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, a.k.a. Tokyo Trials, that Begala says McCain is referring to, only seven Japanese war criminals were executed. Every one of them was convicted of either being complicit in or directly comitting atrocities and murder on a grand scale.



Koki Hirota:

During Hirota’s second tenure as foreign minister, late in 1937, Japanese forces marched into Nanking. Thousands of innocent civilians were buried alive, used as targets for bayonet practice, shot in large groups and thrown into the Yangtze River. Rampant rapes (and gang rapes) of women ranging from age seven to over seventy were reported. The international community estimated that within the six weeks of the Massacre, 20,000 women were raped, many of them subsequently murdered or mutilated; and over 300,000 people were killed, often with the most inhumane brutality.

While Hirota was not in charge of the army units that invaded Nanjing, he was well informed about the massacre. The international community had filed many protests to the Japanese Embassy. Bates, an American professor of history at the University of Nanking during the Japanese occupation, provided evidence that the protests were forwarded to Tokyo and were discussed in great detail between Japanese officials and the U.S. ambassador in Tokyo.



Seishiro Itagaki:

Itagaki was moreover responsible for the supply of food and medical care to prisoners of war and civilian internees, in particular on various Indonesian islands during the last months of the war. It has been established that, over that period, thousands of people died due to lack of food or adequate care, while the camp guards suffered no undue hardship.



Kenji Dohihara:

Kenji Dohihara voted in favour of the attack on Pearl Harbour … He commanded the Army of the 7th Region, which includes parts of Malaysia and the islands of Sumatra, Java and Borneo in Indonesia. In this capacity, he was responsible for supplying food and medicines to not only the Japanese troops, but also to prisoners of war.


Heitaro Kimura:

It is alleged that in carrying out his functions, Kimura allegedly violated the laws and customs of war in approving the use of prisoners of war for hazardous work, from which they are usually prohibited. They were forced to work in very dangerous conditions and several thousands died. Heitaro Kimura allegedly gave the order and approved the use of prisoners of war for the construction of the railway between Burma and the Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand). In addition, he did not take the necessary disciplinary measures to prevent or to punish the commission of atrocities by his troops.


Iwane Matsui:

His troops took Nanking on 13 December 1937. The Chinese army had evacuated the city just before it was taken. The ensuing occupation was therefore that of a defenceless city. The Japanese troops nevertheless carried out unspeakable atrocities: massacre, rape, pillaging and destruction were routinely committed. During a six to seven week period, more than 100’000 civilians were killed and thousands of women raped. Against this backdrop, Matsui marched triumphantly into Nanking on 17 December 1937 and remained there for several days.


Akira Muto:

Moreover, as an officer serving under General Matsui between November 1937 and July 1938, he was charged with war crimes for his participation in the atrocities committed at Nanking.



The seventh Japanese war criminal to be hanged was Hideki Tojo, and I presume his reputation precedes him. But it seems pretty clear we executed these men for charges that far surpass concerns about waterboarding.

Now it does appear that various forms of torture were a consideration in some of these cases that resulted in death sentences at the Tokyo Trials. Media Matters marshals some evidence to that effect, but again waterboarding was presented as just one of several types of torture, many of which appear to be more severe. (Media Matters also appears to cavalierly lump all forms of Japanese water torture together and, say, forced ingestion of water — an execution method centuries ago — is obviously very different from waterboarding.) This is why McCain appears to be accurate when he says waterboarding is “among the charges” and Begala is wrong to suggest it’s the reason why the death sentences were handed down. There are examples of war criminals convicted of waterboarding, even alongside convictions for a number of harsh forms of torture, who were not put to death.

In no way, shape or form could waterboarding be said to have been the predominate reason any one of these people were hanged. Begala suggesting people at the Tokyo Trials were hanged for waterboarding is akin to noting that Charles Manson is guilty of trespassing on Roman Polanski’s home and then insisting that’s the reason he got a death sentence. (Not that I’m suggesting trespassing and waterboarding are equivalent crimes; I’m just making a logical point.)

Ultimately, even evidence Begala cites to defend himself doesn’t validate his charge. It does validate McCain’s statement, which Begala doesn’t seem to recognize as materially different the one he made. Then again, while the PolitiFact article Begala references doesn’t prove his claim — it’s otherwise clear as mud on the distinctions and specific crimes involved.

Again, to be clear: I am not trying to suggest that waterboarding isn’t torture. Those opposed to waterboarding should be content to argue the indisputable fact that it was considered a crime as practiced by the Japanese. But Begala’s insistence that Japanese war criminals were executed for waterboarding just does not appear to be true.

Now shifting gears a bit, let me add one final bit about waterboarding. In my discussion of waterboarding from a few days ago, I wrote:


In waterboarding as it is practiced by the U.S., cellophane or cloth is placed over the subject’s mouth to keep water out of nose and mouth. Asano was pouring water directly into the mouths and noses of subjects which is considerably more harsh and dangerous.

A reader notes that a cloth barrier, doesn’t necessarily prevent water from going into the mouth and nose as described in the Stephen J. Bradbury memo:


Either in the normal application, or where countermeasures are used, we understand that water may enter — and may accumulate in — the detainee’s mouth and nasal cavity, preventing him from breathing. In addition, you have indicated that the detainee as a countermeasure may swallow water, possibly in significant quantities.

Obviously, a cellophane barrier would keep water out altogether and I think a cloth barrier is probably still better than none. But the reader makes a fair point about a cloth not necessarily keeping water out of the nose and mouth, and is certainly a distinction worth noting if you’re trying to decide how severe the practice is.
aikey's just parroting the leftist spin

he doesn't really care about the facts behind it, he's only interested in seeing if it can get traction


predictable, really :idunno:



and granite adds his lying voice to the leftist clamour:
It's a point worth repeating that we executed Japanese and German personnel for doing less than what we've admitted to doing on record.



yes, I suppose if you don't mind being seen to be a drooling retard and think that you might gain some traction with your lie, it might well seem to be worth repeating :thumb:



:mock:granite, the drooling leftist retard
 

drbrumley

Well-known member
Use of torture is not only illegal but also it is a poor technique that yields unreliable results, may damage subsequent collection efforts, and can induce the source to say what he thinks the Intelligence collector wants to hear. Use of torture can also have many possible negative consequences at national and international levels.
 

gcthomas

New member
in what way should we have shown our "love" for the germans while they attempted to subjugate all of europe to their will and wipe out the jews?

Most Germans were civilian out ordinary conscripts, just like the Americans, and many no different. After the war, we helped feed and house the Germans and helped to rebuild their economy, government and infrastructure.

It was the leaders we tried, along with those who had tortured and abused detainees.
 

musterion

Well-known member
Once, during Stonewall Jackson’s famous 1862 campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, some Union cavalry charged the rear guard of Jackson’s column and were nearly annihilated by a deadly volley of infantry fire. The officer who reported this action to Jackson was Col. John Mercer Patton (an ancestor of the famed WWII General George S. Patton). In conveying his report to Jackson, the colonel expressed “regret” at the enemy’s heavy losses. After he had finished hearing Patton’s report, Jackson asked him: “Colonel, why do you say you saw those Federal soldiers fall with regret?” The colonel said he admired the courage and vigor the foe had shown, and felt a natural sympathy for such brave soldiers.


“No, shoot them all,” Jackson replied. “I do not wish them to be brave.”


Borrowed from a blog I happened across.
 
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