Rice Defends Post-9/11 Interrogation Rules

Secretary Of State Says Tough Methods Of Questioning For Terror Suspects Was Necessary

(AP)  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday defended tough interrogation techniques for terrorism suspects approved by the Bush administration in the wake of 9/11, saying they were necessary to protect America from new attacks.

In her most extensive public comments about how the administration dealt with detainee interrogations in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, and the anthrax attacks that followed, Rice insisted the methods of questioning complied with both U.S. law and treaty obligations.

But she acknowledged that those rules had since changed and that the United States was a "different place" then, adding that the administration's top priority at the time had been preventing new attacks and not necessarily observing fine legal points.

"The fact is that after Sept. 11, whatever was legal in the face of not just the attacks of Sept. 11, but the anthrax attacks that happened, we were in an environment in which saving America from the next attack was paramount," Rice said.

"But even in that environment, President Bush made clear that we were going to live up to our obligations at home and to our treaty obligations abroad," she told an audience at the headquarters of Google Inc.

Rice noted that legal restrictions on the treatment of detainees had evolved significantly between 2002 and 2003, when administration officials had allowed harsh techniques, including one that some believe to be torture, and the passage in 2005 of the Detainee Treatment Act that prohibits cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

"Now, there has been a long evolution in American policy about detainees and about interrogations," she said. "We now have in place a law that was not there in 2002 and 2003."

"So the ground is different now," she said.

Rice refused to specify what specific techniques might have been discussed or approved, but said America was safer because of interrogation conducted on al Qaeda detainees captured in the first months and year after the 9/11 attacks.

"We now know a great deal more about how al Qaeda operates thanks to what we were able to learn from those early detainees," she said. "We now have networks that give us information much better than in 2002 and 2003 and these issues have evolved.

"They have evolved in the context of democracy, they have evolved in the context of the constant debate about our values and ... I think that we are now in a different place now then we were," Rice said.

At the same time, she maintained that Mr. Bush's top aides had been scrupulous in making sure the early interrogations conformed to existing rules.

"I don't want anyone to believe that even when we were in that different place that we failed to ask the question: 'Are we living up to our laws and to our treaty obligations?' We asked the questions even then, but it is a different America now than what has been and gone."

Her comments came in response to a question from a Google employee who asked at a town hall meeting about the simulated drowning interrogation technique known as waterboarding that many consider to be a form of torture.

[tawpdawg11]

Our intelligence was poor throughout our history until we started to drown em?

[hologram5]

So now it is OK to violate all the Geneva convention rules of fairplay to fit our needs? When another country violates those rules America is the first one to pitch a fit about it. OMG WHAT A DOUBLE STANDARD. Looks like GW was able to complete what Granddad started... Facist Coup. We need to wake up and IMPEACH and prosecute the war criminals.

[deacon20081]

"We now have in place a law that was not there in 2002 and 2003."

"So the ground is different now," she said.

This woman and the rest of the administration should be very anxious. The next round of elections, when they all will loose their jobs and the US and World courts come calling, must make them all just giddy with anticipation.

"dr RICE" is on the head of a long list, as they say
Heads will roll.

[samrensho]

She does as she''s told. Good ole Kindasleazy.

[neoconrcrazy]

The ground is different now.....???

Spoken like a true fascist, posing as an American.

" We asked the questions even then, but it is a different America now than what has been and gone"

Miss Rice - you can go to helll. There no "different" America, as long as we have our Constitution and laws! Take your "presidental decrees" and use them as hygenic paper in your jail cell, which I hope you soon be readied for you and the rest of your un-American henchmen.

[hungry1968]

"Rice Defends Post-9/11 Interrogation Rules
Secretary Of State Says Tough Methods Of Questioning For Terror Suspects Was Necessary"





How about the questioning of administration officials about what they knew and when they knew it, and about their feeble response to the attacks in the minutes / hours / days afterward?

And how about the response to interview requests before the 9/11 commission?

How about the questioning of administration officials as to why we attacked Iraq in response for 9/11, even though they did nothing to us?

[impeach_w]

Tell it to your war crimes Jury *****, If the next president give immunity or pardons you evil people, he is just as guilty.

[watcher269-2009]

Where you been hiding Condi? Not in the news much lately.

Or is it that you just didn''t have any LIES to tell?

[impeach_w]

"we were in an environment in which saving America from the next attack was paramount," Rice said.

Fortuatly, We are in an evionvment (the USA) based on law where protecting the Constitution is Paramount and the killing of terrorists and those who advocate torture is the law.

[impeach_w]

did I say advocate? I meant those who order, practice AND advocate torture. Bush traded the soul of my country for two office buildings...

[liberalme]

It''s Bush/Cheney rules that are made as they go along--there is no Constitution, no Geneva Convention.

These flunkies (in their own minds) think they are still fooling the world.

She''s right, Americas ground is different--they have put a huge stain of injustice on our land.

We may know a lot more about AlQaeda now, but we know far more about the instability of the people running our government.

Whoever sits in that big chair in the White House--OUR White House, BETTER hold these people responsible for every illegal activity they created.


And by the way Condie--you better be thankful this government doesn''t torture ugly!

[walt1944-2009]

Secretary of the State, "Candy Woman" Rice, has stated that "extreme" interrogation methods were necessary (and she probably considers them as still necessary).

This argument has been made by every neocon Fascist Nazi defending the "practices" used, and goes back to the days when the first dungeon and torture chamber were invented. The Hitler Nazis used this argument to "protect the German people" when we all know it was meant to breed fear and intimidation INTO the people!

One can only hope that when the neocon Fascist regime of the Great Emperor Bush leaves office, that the Europeans will issue warrants for crimes against humanity for people like Rove, Rice, Bush, Gonzalez, Cheney, and dozens of others and bring them to some kind of justice. It looks like it won''t happen in this country and REALLY NOT if "Bagdad John McBush" McCain becomes Great Emperor!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!!
sig heil, DEFINITELY MORE OF THE SAME, McCain!!!!

[bluestardad]

THIS MEANS SO MUCH COMING FROM MISS NO ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE....

NATIONAL SECURITY BRIEF AUGUST 2001....


SHE IS TOP OF THE LIST TO BE TRIED FOR WAR CRIMES!

Obama Seeks Red Cross Help On War Crime Charges Against Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld
Posted by Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscr on Wednesday, May 21st at 11:59 AM

May 20, 2008

Obama Seeks Red Cross Help On War Crime Charges Against Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld

By: Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscribers (Traduccisn al Espaqol abajo)

Russian Foreign Ministry reports to President Medvedev are stating today
that US Presidential candidate Barack Obama has sent one of his top aides
named Valerie Jarrett to meet with officials from the International
Committee of the Red Cross, in Geneva, Switzerland, to what is being
described in these reports as the %u2018preliminary stage%u2019 to begin actions in
the International Court of Justice charging the present United States
President, Vice President and former US Defense Secretary with war crimes.

As we had previously written about in our October 15, 2005 report, the
International Committee of the Red Cross opened in that year a War Crimes
Portfolio alleging that President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Defense
Secretary Rumsfeld, and other US Officials, were in violation of Articles 3
and 4 of the Geneva Convention and could be tried for Crimes Against
Humanity.

[sgtrds-e4]

Rice is the classic example of a woman who slept her way to the top. That''s not that unusual until you look at who she had to go through to get there, like her boyfriend Bush. UGH!

[antoniof123]

The Republicans lost power in 1954 for 40 years and that was because of a Senator.

Bright spot we will be rid of them for the rest of our lives.

[sgtrds-e4]

"Secretary Of State Says Tough Methods Of Questioning For Terror Suspects Was Necessary"

Don''t you just love the euphemisms they use? "Tough methods". If they''re so much in favor of using it why don''t they have the balls to call it what it is, TORTURE!!!!

Also since every major intelligence organization says that in the end torture doesn''t work very well (if at all) the only reason one can come up with for them wanting to use it is that they have a fetish about it. It gets them off to think about it and to do it. I always have this mental picture whenever this issue comes up of Condi, Cheney and Dubya, all of them decked out in leather boots, stocking, garters and cut-out bras, whips in hand. Face it the only reason the support torture is that they''re perverts and they just LOVE doing it!

[pr_boxer]

Not Good enough Condi, its still torture anyway you spell it. Its not within the bounds of ethical actions. You have missed the point of the Geneva Convention! Even McCain understands!

[pr_boxer]

Now maybe she can explain the "Mushroom cloud" statement.

[lovegetpeace]

Can someone close to Rice tell her to go back to Stanford University quietly please. Also, advise her to not write her autobiography as that will harm Bush''s already terrible legacy.

[wdrussell1]

For me, Condi is the biggest disappointment of this whole administration.
I really expected a lot of positive things from her.

[veteran72]

"Now, there has been a long evolution in American policy about detainees and about interrogations," she said. "We now have in place a law that was not there in 2002 and 2003."

"So the ground is different now," she said.

Uuuuuhhhhh, ...No, actually the LAW was always there and the Geneva Convention, but YOU and your Drunken AWOL/Deserter "Husband" decided that no Laws applied to you. You are what we refer to in the World Community and Legal Circles as "War Criminals, and you''ll be getting your invite to the Tribunals real soon now.

(By the by, it won''t be a request, you''ll actually have to show up, or we''ll come and taser your sorry azz.)

[roger_inkart]

We will not regain our status as a leader in human rights until all the dirt this administration did is brought to life.

Condi - don''t try and defend what you souless monsters did. There is no rationalization or excuses for torture. Which, historically, has been a VERY poor method of obtaining workable intel.

If there is any justice, you and your co-conspirators will face charges on treason one day.

[roger_inkart]

(sorry - that should be brought to "light".) unfortunately, it was already brought to life by the WORST administration in the nation''s history.

[roger_inkart]

what a bunch of racist posting on here!!

Posted by jamesm12341 at 10:58 AM : May 23, 2008

What? What is racist about critizism of the Bush administration?

Or are you SO desperate to defend these fools and criminals you''re playing the race card here?

[randynason]

Rice is a traitor and should be held up to war crime inquiry. She is and has always been a part of the problem, not the solution. She is a disgrace.

[sgtrds-e4]

Condi is right on the money.. Protect this nation at ALL costs. Who gives a f*uck if they were tortured... We should get he info out of them anyway we can and them blow thier Brains out.

Posted by guyfrompa45 at 11:26 AM : May 23, 2008

Just like al-qeada would huh? That''s your answer? Let''s become as bad of scum as they are?

We''re supposed to be the GOOD GUYS!

[randynason]

You liberal bleeding hearts would be singing a different tune if it was one of your family members killed.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by guyfrompa45

Have you been hiding under a rock for the past seven years? The Iraqis had nothing to do with 9/11 and if you feel so strongly about promoting torture, why aren''t you over there with a machine gun in your hands, Rambo? Because you''re like this administration, I''ll bet is the answer. And, they''re a bunch of loud-mouthed and arrogant cowards. What''s your excuse?

[texvet528]

The Genva convention was for war. These are enemy combatents. Do they play by the rules? what are you kidding? They cut off innocent peoples heads and fly planes into buildings. Now they''''re teaching 12 year olds how to behead people.Give mne a God *** break. You liberal bleeding hearts would be singing a different tune if it was one of your family members killed.
Posted by guyfrompa45

So you are saying we should be terrorists back at them? Thats oh so intelligent. I guess the really meant no child left behind. Ever hear the phrase ''Act like that and you''ll be no better''. Sorry bud, but your outlook is part of the problem. Someone''s got to be the grown up.

[oscarez]

guyfrompa45, so what you are saying is if enemy combatants come after you or your family members they have the right to treat you the same way they were treated?

[pr_boxer]

Some people will believe anything they hear, regardless of the visible evidence!

[pr_boxer]

it isn''t "if Obama gets in" its "when he is elected".

[randynason]

guyfrompa45

Aside from the obvious adminstration, military and political dysfunction, it is people like you who add nothing to the furtherment of our society and provide an embarrassment to our standing in the world arena. You sound like a tween, skipping school for the day.

[stn_sage]

Rice has reinforced my view that she''s an incompetent idiot! After being part of a group that misinformed the public as to what threat Hussein posed to the U.S. in the run up to the war, she''s responding to questions about ''torture policy''?!

That''s right, Condi! Keep talking! If war crimes trials are held against you by some foreign country---in abstencia---nothing like supplying evidence against yourself! Your talking your way right into that wrought-iron cell in the Hague!

Keep talk''in, and George and *** will forget that you''re a buddy of theirs! They can''t have a ''loose cannon'' like you on the outside. Next thing they know, they''ll be reading about how you want to write a book about your experiences!

[twood001]

Detainess are Prisoners of War and should be held according to the geneva Convention. We are the same America who imprisoned the Japenese in camps during war. Haven''t we learned our lesson? Instead of trying prisoners with evidence, we are now assisinating them with drones for percieved or questionable activity along with innocent civilians. Are we now judge and jury. How many innocent Iraqis and foreigners have been held, tortured, and raped for years with no hope of help from the Supreme Court or any US court of Law?? We have become the terrorists we so despised. They don''t hate our freesom, they hate our occupation for the purpose of obtaining their natural resources (oil). We are no different than China taking over Tibet for thier land since they ran out due to population. Bush and his cronies had a plan to start this war long before taking office. His family and friends are now rich at the expense of the poor''s children who went to go fight for a lie. Where the heck do we go from here??

[twood001]

Violence begets violence. At what point does it stop? we can only expect for things to get worse if we continue acting like wild cowboys by murdering, torturing and holding people in jail without evidence of wrongdoing. Killing will incite more killing with no end in sight. It''s time to stop the madness and get the heck out or Iraq & Afghanistan. Let;s call a spad a spade. This war has not accomplished anything but getting America in huge amounts of debt, taken away our civil liberties and turned America into a police state.

[randynason]

RandyNason- And you sound like a typical Liberal who thinks that this will all go away when we leave Iraq. Yo''''re kidding yourself. If this country had men like you defending it then we''''d all be either British or german. You like your rights and freedoms but forget how we got here.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by guyfrompa45

We got here by torturing those from whom we want to steal oil? A "bleeding heart liberal," as you put it, is someone who sits down to discuss theories and conduct diplomacy, because none of this is ever going to go away. This is the world that people like you have created and it''s people like liberals who will have to clean up after "people like you."

-yawn-

[oscarez]

exvet528- Grown up? what are we playing barbie dolls you tool. They dont give a *** about any rules. Why dont we put them up in a hotel too.. U liberal belleding hearts make me sick. You''''ll be the firat one running for cover. A bunch of Pu**ys. You discrace this country

Posted by guyfrompa45 at 12:03 PM : May 23, 2008

Why is it that all you GOPig nut cases sound just alike?

[inventagod2]

Were those pesky NeoCons responsible for 9/11 AND the anthrax attacks???

[sgtrds-e4]

The ones that really deserved to be tortured after 9-11 were Bush and Cheney.

[bluestardad]

THIS MEANS SO MUCH COMING FROM MISS NO ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE....

NATIONAL SECURITY BRIEF AUGUST 2001....


SHE IS TOP OF THE LIST TO BE TRIED FOR WAR CRIMES!

Obama Seeks Red Cross Help On War Crime Charges Against Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld
Posted by Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscr on Wednesday, May 21st at 11:59 AM

May 20, 2008

Obama Seeks Red Cross Help On War Crime Charges Against Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld

By: Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscribers (Traduccisn al Espaqol abajo)

Russian Foreign Ministry reports to President Medvedev are stating today
that US Presidential candidate Barack Obama has sent one of his top aides
named Valerie Jarrett to meet with officials from the International
Committee of the Red Cross, in Geneva, Switzerland, to what is being
described in these reports as the %u2018preliminary stage%u2019 to begin actions in
the International Court of Justice charging the present United States
President, Vice President and former US Defense Secretary with war crimes.

As we had previously written about in our October 15, 2005 report, the
International Committee of the Red Cross opened in that year a War Crimes
Portfolio alleging that President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Defense
Secretary Rumsfeld, and other US Officials, were in violation of Articles 3
and 4 of the Geneva Convention and could be tried for Crimes Against
Humanity.

[twood001]

Osama Bin Laden is a paid puppet of the Bush Administration. Research Betchtel Corporation. The Bin Ladens and Bushes own parts of it. Bin Laden''s family was allowed to depart the US for Saudi Arabia when while everyone else was grounded on 9/11. The Bush admistration orchestrated 9/11 to bolster and unpopular preseident and take away attention from teh fact the the vote was hacked to get Bush in office. Ity also pushed the Energy Commision agends. Rememer Cheney''s secret meetings with oil executives in 2001-2002? That where the war was planned to horde resources and push their agenda. Now they are hyperrish and 4100 American are dead because of thier unending greed. War was for oil, not Freesom. Iraq was intentionally targetted.

[dinkydog1]

And you sound like a typical Liberal who thinks that this will all go away when we leave Iraq. Yo''''re kidding yourself. If this country had men like you defending it then we''''d all be either British or german. You like your rights and freedoms but forget how we got here. guyfrompa45

..........................

....... And if this country had more like you we would still be living in caves and scrape our knucles when we walked.

[pr_boxer]

I remember all the doomsday predictions about what would happen when we left Vietnam. well all that really happened was we stopped getting our guys killed there.

Now,we dont have Al Qaeda hemmed up in Iraq, if the wished to attack us here and they are competent enough to pull it off, it''ll happen.

Also, Al Qaeda is a very minor player in Iraq, the Shiite militias are far and away the biggest player there,besides us, so get this straight, the major problem there is "US" , the Iraqi''s resent foreign troops in their homeland, so would you. The only Iraqi''s that want us to stay is those that are raking in corupt dollars.

[sgtrds-e4]

And you sound like a typical Liberal who thinks that this will all go away when we leave Iraq. Yo''''''''re kidding yourself. If this country had men like you defending it then we''''''''d all be either British or german. You like your rights and freedoms but forget how we got here. guyfrompa45

.........................
.

....... And if this country had more like you we would still be living in caves and scrape our knucles when we walked.

Posted by dinkydog1 at 01:07 PM : May 23, 2008

Yeah, like back when McCain was a kid.

[briannorwood]

To hear Condoleezza Rice provide justification for this Administration''s use of torture (don''t even insult my intelligence by saying "harsh interrogation") is pathetic.

When over the course of this country''s 230 year history so many have died to protect our rights for these barbarians to use 9/11 as an excuse to discard our Constitution (let alone national ethos) is nothing short of high treason.

Thank you, but I for one would rather die than give up these sacred rights!

[haoli25]

Save it for your War Crimes Trial, Miss ***.

[roger_inkart]

hmmmm sounds like what people who have been obaminized call people who dont want to vote for obama

Posted by jamesm12341 at 11:04 AM : May 23, 2008

Don''t try and obsfuscate - I won''t fall for it.

You said there were a ''bunch'' of racist comments made here. What are they? Please repost exactly what you believe to be racist.

[bmadeline-2009]

Torture is not a "fine legal point", It is criminal. I would like to warterboard the whole sorry bunch.

[haoli25]

*** = One who munches the carpet.

[sgtrds-e4]

To hear Condoleezza Rice provide justification for this Administration''''s use of torture (don''''t even insult my intelligence by saying "harsh interrogation") is pathetic.

When over the course of this country''''s 230 year history so many have died to protect our rights for these barbarians to use 9/11 as an excuse to discard our Constitution (let alone national ethos) is nothing short of high treason.

Thank you, but I for one would rather die than give up these sacred rights!

Posted by briannorwood at 01:47 PM : May 23, 2008

Well said and worth re-posting!